Gustie grad honing skills on pro tennis circuit

Fri, May 16 2008

— Former Gustavus Adolphus College tennis standout Eric Butorac has been relatively quiet since his run leading up to the U.S. Open last summer, but it hasn’t been for a lack of effort.
Last year Butorac won three professional doubles titles with partner Jamie Murray and reached as high as 30th in the ATP tennis doubles rankings. The two players have since parted ways and Butorac is busy trying to climb back up the rankings from his current spot of 45th.
“Once you get inside 50 it gets pretty hard to move up because the competition is so tough. I’ve worked really hard trying to improve my speed and get stronger and improve my strokes and, here I am, still at 46th. It’s a tough mountain to climb.”
Butorac is currently in Houston, Texas, participating in the U.S. Clay Court Championships. He has been reunited with Australian Ashley Fisher who was out the last few months after having knee surgery. Fisher is currently ranked 66th in men’s doubles.
He’s also been playing mixed doubles with Young-Jan Chan (of Taipei). The duo had a great start at the Australian Open, making it through three rounds.
Chan is ranked 10th in women’s doubles and she and Butorac intend to continue playing together for awhile. The two newest developments involving Butorac concern World Team Tennis and a possible exhibition in Minneapolis in December.
During the offseason, the Sacramento Capitals of the WTT league traded Anna Kournikova to the St. Louis Aces for a second-round draft choice.
Sacramento then used that pick to select Butorac at the league’s annual draft on April 1.
“I guess that means I got traded for Anna Kournikova,” Butorac said laughing. “I don’t know if that says more about how far I’ve come or how far she’s fallen. I’m just hoping that’s not the thing I’ll be most remembered for when my career is over.”
The WTT has a short three-week season in July where Butorac is expected to play exclusively doubles. As for the exhibition, the Rochester native is exploring a couple of options.
A friend of his trying to organize what he describes as a Rock ‘n Roll Doubles Tour that would include a stop in Minneapolis. If that falls through, Butorac will try to pull together a doubles charity exhibition, involving players he’s met on the tour as well as some of the top talent in Minnesota.
“Either way, I’m sure we’ll have something in Minneapolis in December,” he said. “It would be nice to get back and play in front of some people who have been following my career for awhile.”

Jim Rueda is the Free Press sports editor. To contact him, call 344-6381 or e-mail him at jrueda@mankato freepress.com.

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