Photograph by Lamar Jacaman for Texas Student Media
It should be easy to distinguish Stefan Dostanic from Pierre-Yves Bailly in today’s singles championship of the Greenview Development & Majestic Realty Men’s Pro Tennis Open at the Texas Tennis Center. The sixth-seeded Dostanic, pictured above, usually wears a cap and a high level of intensity whether ahead or behind in the score. The eighth-seeded Bailly usually wears a headband and a demeanor of cool no matter how much he sweats.
Bailly, a 21-year-old Longhorn via Belgium, has yet to lose a set en route to his second straight final here – more accurately, in Austin. Last year because of rain, Bailly won the title by defeating Longhorn teammate Siem Woldeab in an indoor match. The conditions for today’s final, which is scheduled to start at 11 a.m., are expected to be cloudy and windy before turning sunny.
Despite never having played together, Dostanic and Bailly teamed up on Saturday to win the doubles title over top-seeded Cleeve Harper and Patrick Harper, 7-5, 6-3. In fact, Dostanic, a 23-year-old Californian, hadn’t played an ITF doubles event this year. He said Bailly contacted him. Last month in an M25 in Harlingen, Texas, Dostanic defeated Bailly, 6-4, 6-3, in the quarterfinals. Maybe that’s where Bailly got the idea to seek out his future doubles partner.
In Saturday’s semifinals, Dostanic rallied past No. 3 Alastair Gray, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, and Bailly defeated No. 2 Duarte Vale, 6-2, 7-6(2). Both semifinals lasted a little longer than either player would have liked because of opponents who staged mini-comebacks. Dostanic was up two breaks before Gray rallied but missed a break opportunity to even the third set at 4-4. Bailly served for the match at 5-3, but Vale’s aggression got him back in the match. Bailly dominated the tiebreak, thanks to Vale’s errors and his own injection of pace.