Accepted to the University of Radford, Virginia, on a tennis scholarship just this Fall, Hong Kong under-18 number one, Martin Sayer, defeated four nationally ranked players, including NCAA No. 2 Ludovic Walter (Duke) in the quarters and No. 16 Rylan Rizza (Virginia) in the semis, to reach the final of the Wilson/ITA Mideast Regional Championships in North Carolina, USA.

In the process, he earned himself a men's singles maindraw spot in next month's second major of the US collegiate season -- the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships -- to be hosted by Ohio State University at the Racquet Club of Columbus from November 3-6.

Notable past men's champions at the ITA National Indoors include current NCAA number one, Ryler DeHeart (Illinois, 2004), Alex Kim (Stanford, 2001), James Blake (Harvard, 1999), Todd Martin (Northwestern, 1990), MaliVai Washington (Michigan, 1989), Luke Jensen (USC, 1987), and Paul Annacone (Tennessee, 1984).

"I didn't really have any expectations coming into this tournament. But yes, this is probably the best tennis I've played outside of beating the second ranked junior in the world, Leonardo Mayer of Argentina, at the French Open this year," Martin told collegetennisonline.com.

Having been awarded an NCAA pre-season ranking of No. 113 on the back of his forays on the ITF World Junior Circuit where he peaked at No. 25 earlier this April, Martin defeated NCAA No. 82 and former world junior number two, Ytai Abougzir (FSU), 6-3, 6-4, in the round of 32; No. 33 Todd Paul (Wake Forest), 7-6(2), 6-0, in the round of 16; No. 2 and top seed Ludovic Walter (Duke) in the quarters, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3; and No. 16 Rylan Rizza in the semifinals 6-1, 1-6, 6-2.

Hailing from France, top seed Ludovic Walter was the two-time defending champion of this event.

Martin, who made his Davis Cup debut for Hong Kong this year, would have faced NCAA No. 53 and fifth seed, Jonathan Stokke (Duke), in the final. However, since both finalists automatically qualify for the ITA National Indoors, the final was not played out.

Prior to the Wilson/ITA Mideast Regionals, Martin competed in the men's singles qualifying at the Polo Ralph Lauren All-American Championships but was knocked out in the round of 32 (128 draw) by 65th ranked Nick Cavaday (NC State), in straight sets.

Seventy-fourth ranked University of Winthrop is the defending NCAA Division One's Big South Conference champions, but Radford does boast last season's conference Freshman of the Year, James Lloyd (nephew of Britain's John and David Lloyd) and new recruit, Marius Tangen, of Norway who made his Davis Cup debut earlier this year against Ukraine and was a former under-18 number one in his native country.

Although the NCAA season does not officially begin until early next year, the Fall pre-season is sprinkled with invitational tournaments and Martin had already made the finals of the Men's Flight A Singles at the Hampton Roads College Invitational in Virginia when he defeated No. 1 seed, Henrique Cancado of Old Dominion, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, in the semis before getting stopped by an in-form second seed, Eidy Igarashi, 6-3, 6-3, in the title game. He also got the finals of the UNC Groot Memorial Invitational at Chapel Hill but had to retire after losing the first set in a tiebreak due to a recurring abdominal strain.

Brazilian Cancado, the co-seventeenth seed, was also present at the Mideast Regionals but went down against the number one-seeded Walter in the fourth round, 6-4, 7-6(3).

According to Radford Head Coach, Mike Anderson, Martin is one of the highest ranked players on the ITF World Junior Circuit to enter collegiate tennis this year. "Our plan is to nurture his progress and try to help him achieve his goal of possibly playing professionally while climbing the ranks of college tennis while helping his Radford team succeed in the meantime. We also want to hone his game so that he will be in good shape should HK need him for any future Davis Cup ties," said Coach Anderson.

See Martin's complete results on the US collegiate circuit.

Results
Wilson/ITA Mideast Regional Championships
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
October 18-23, 2005

MEN'S SINGLES

Second Round
(17)Martin Sayer (Radford) d. Sebastian Ripoll (Virginia Commonwealth) 7-5 6-2

Third Round
(17)Martin Sayer (Radford) d. (9)Ytai Abougzir (Florida State) 6-3 6-4

Fourth Round
(17)Martin Sayer (Radford) d. (6)Todd Paul (Wake Forest) 7-6(2) 6-0

Quarterfinals
(17)Martin Sayer (Radford) d. (1)Ludovic Walter (Duke) 6-4 1-6 6-3

Semifinals
(17)Martin Sayer (Radford) d. (4)Rylan Rizza (Virginia) 6-1 1-6 6-2

Final
(17)Martin Sayer (Radford) v. (5)Jonathan Stokke (Duke)   Did Not Play - Declared Joint Winners