The run by former UCSB tennis star Nicolas Moreno de Alboran in Wimbledon qualifying came to end in the final qualification match on Thursday at the All England Club.
Moreno de Alboran fell to Germany’s Maximilian Marterer 7-6, 7-6, 6-3, finishing one win short of making the main draw in one of biggest tournaments in the world.
He lost the first two sets in tiebreakers, the second one ending at 13-11 after dropping a 7-2 decision.
Moreno de Alboran won two matches in the qualifier, knocking off 20th seed Manuel Guinard of France in his first opener, and then beating Great Britain’s Arthur Fery.
The former Big West Player of the Year attended high school near Wimbledon and was excited to be back in the old neighborhood.
“I grew up around here, had some really good years, so it feels like home,” he told Yahoo Sports after Thursday’s loss. “It’s been really nice to come back and see some old friends, and play here at Roehampton. In general, I’ve really enjoyed this week, and hopefully I’ll take it as a building block.”
Winning two matches on the famed Wimbledon courts was a tremendous thrill for the 24-year-old, who in 2018 became the first UCSB player to win a NCAA Tournament match since 1995, and just the fifth in program history.
“I think I’m pretty happy,” Moreno de Alboran said of his Wimbledon debut. “This is what we work for every day, but I feel like there’s always stuff to improve, and I’m happy with the way I competed.
“I’m happy with the way I went about things, but as I said, it’s time to reflect a bit on my performances throughout the week and improve for the next time.”
He said it felt great playing near his old stomping grounds. He attended Ibstock Place School in Roehampton.
“It’s absolutely more special,” he told Yahoo Sports. “I used to play football, I used to play tennis, rugby, all the different sports around here. It feels right at home, and it feels really special to be able to play here.
“It’s been a great week for me, to be honest. It’s the first Wimbledon of my career. I think I’ve played some good tennis. I had my chances today, but I wasn’t able to convert them.
“I’m just excited for what’s ahead, keep developing my game, keep improving, and hopefully be back here next year.”