It’s three rounds down, four to go for freshman Alex Clayton of the Stanford men’s tennis team.

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Returning Pac-10 Champion Matt Bruch opens at the ITA All-American Championships today. He will be joined by freshman Alex Clayton, who won three qualifying matches to make it to the main draw. #gallery http://daily.stanford.edu/image/full/7921
Stanford Daily File Photo

Returning Pac-10 Champion Matt Bruch opens at the ITA All-American Championships today. He will be joined by freshman Alex Clayton, who won three qualifying matches to make it to the main draw.

Clayton, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has had a remarkable run in the qualifying bracket of the ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Okla. However, his run in the qualifying bracket is over — his victory yesterday moved him into the main draw of the tournament, which starts today.

Clayton dismantled Ed Corrie of Texas yesterday in three sets. After losing the first set 6-4, he muscled his way back and won the next two sets 6-1, 6-4. Clayton is one of 16 qualifiers that advanced to the main draw out of the qualifying bracket.

“I have had some tough matches thus far,” said Clayton. “But I am getting used to the conditions out here, and I couldn’t be more ready to play in the main draw.

“I lost the first set today, but I knew I was wearing [Corrie] down and I knew he would get tired. I just kept playing the same way and eventually the tables started turning.”

This is Clayton’s first big collegiate tennis tournament, but the young freshman has excelled, becoming used to the conditions of the college game and gaining more confidence with each match.

He moves on to play Robbye Poole from the University of Mississippi in the first round of the main draw.

“[Poole] is a retriever. He will put balls in the court and will fight really hard. But I feel prepared and ready.”

Junior Matt Bruch will also start play today in the main draw. Bruch draws Treat Huey of Virginia, who is the No. 13-ranked singles player in the nation. Huey is also a part of the No. 1-ranked doubles team in the tournament, so both Bruch and Clayton should have challenging first-round matches.

Bruch also starts play today in doubles with junior Blake Muller. The No. 2-ranked duo will play Alex Cojanu and Keziel Juneau of William & Mary in the first round.