Lars Olson ’15 of Chatham has long made a name for himself as a local tennis star. Lars won the Section 2 championship two years ago and finished runner up last year. He also has seen his USTA rank improve from 377th to 371st in the past year.
Two months ago, Lars began training with Rubin Statham, a professional tennis player from Auckland, NZ. Statham has been on the pro tour for eleven years, reaching the ATP ranking of 270th in the world in 2013. Statham is the #1 ATP player from New Zealand and also represents his country in the Davis Cup. The two will practice together most afternoons when Statham is in the Albany area visiting friends every three-four weeks between tournaments in the United States and Europe.
This is a fantastic opportunity for Olson and an indication of his ability as a player. It can be difficult for a player of Statham’s caliber to find a practice partner that can train at the professional level. In Olson he has found someone in the area who is able to train at the necessary level.