Raul Dobai Named MW Player of the Week

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.— Raul Dobai, who went 3-0 a week ago including a win over the reigning Mountain West Player of the Year, has been named the Mountain West Men’s Tennis Player of the Week.  The award is the first honor of the junior’s career and he is the first Lobo to earn conference Player of the Week honors since Ricky Hernandez Tong, current UNM Assistant Coach, was honored on April 17, 2019.

Dobai, a sophomore who could play for three more seasons, led UNM to a 4-1 conference opening win over Fresno State with a pair of wins.  He took a 6-2 decision at No. 2 doubles, teaming with Jake Trondson.  The Lobo tandem won the final six games after starting out down 2-0.  In singles, he made it a 3-0 game with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 1 singles.  That win came over the 2019 MW Player of the Year Zdenek Derkas, and he fought back from a 5-3 deficit in the first set.  He finished that match winning 10 of the final 13 games.

Against Nevada, his doubles match got halted while up 4-2, and then he earned the clinching win at No. 1 singles with a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

The two wins were just his second and third career wins at No. 1 singles.  UNM has a pair of home matches this weekend, with UNM hosting UNLV at 4 p.m. on Friday in a battle of the final two conference unbeatens and a Sunday 1 p.m. match with San Diego State.  Both matches are taking place at McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium, with Senior Day on Sunday.