NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Chris Drake, the Cary Leeds Head Coach of Men's Tennis, will welcome three newcomers to the Yale roster this fall. Theo Dean, Shervin Dehmoubed and Renaud Lefevre bring strong credentials both on and off the court.
 
"In our first recruiting class, priority No. 1 for [assistant coach] Alex [Steinroeder] and I was to find players that are not only talented but also great fits for the culture we are building at Yale," Drake said. "Renaud, Shervin and Theo are great students, committed tennis players and high character young men. They are excited to build on the foundation of those who have come before them and contribute to pushing Yale men's tennis to new heights."
 
Here's a closer look at the Class of 2024, which received votes in tennisrecruiting.net's rankings of the top-25 classes in the nation.
 
Theo Dean
Livermore, California
Granada High School
 
Before Yale: Ranked No. 1 in Northern California and No. 41 in the nation in the 18-and-under division by the USTA… Ranked No. 28 in the nation and No. 5 in California in the Class of 2020 by tennisrecruiting.net… Had a 62-6 overall record and a 56-3 league mark at Granada High School… Three-time EBAL all-league selection… EBAL singles and doubles champion… Reached semifinals in singles in and finals in doubles at sectionals… Two-time team captain… Livermore-Granada Boosters Olympian Scholarship Finalist… 2018 USTA Northern California Daniel Scafidi Sportsmanship Award winner.
 
Personal: Made four mission trips with the youth group from First Presbyterian Church of Livermore, including one to Rosarito, Mexico, where he helped build a small house for a family in need… Coached tennis to younger children at local club.
 
Why Yale? "The guys on the team are great, and I'm highly optimistic that Coach Drake and Coach Steinroeder can develop our team as a whole and me as an individual. Yale's academic reputation is stellar, the school gives great support to the tennis team and most of all, the people I talked to at Yale were welcoming and friendly."
 
Coach Drake on Dean: "Theo has steadily improved in the rankings over the last 3-4 years. He is very internally motivated and is always looking for ways to improve. On the court, he is smart, moves extremely well and has the ability to alter his game style depending on his opponent. This versatility, combined with Theo's determination and competitiveness, make him very tough to beat. Having consistent access to great training should help him take big steps in his development over the next four years."


 
 
Shervin Dehmoubed
Cardiff by the Sea, California
San Dieguito Academy
 
Before Yale:  Had a Tennis Recruiting national rank as high as No. 38… Career-high UTR of 12.01… Won the 118th Ojai Championship, a prestigious tournament in California that dates back to the late 1800s.
 
Personal: Founded the Youth Entrepreneurship Organization in the San Diego County… Attended the World Leadership Congress in Chicago in 2018 and spent the better part of a week working on different service projects and planning new ones… Volunteered at the La Posada Homeless Shelter and the Encinitas Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
 
Why Yale? "Because of the coaches and the people. The coaches seemed extremely committed to the players and their improvement, more so than any other school I had visited. Also, during my brief time there, I didn't meet a single person that wasn't completely in love with the school. It truly felt like the best place to grow as a tennis player and as a person."
 
Coach Drake on Dehmoubed: "Shervin is an extremely hard worker and dedicated player. He is very professional in his preparation and training, with goals to play at the highest levels of the game. He is a curious young man with many interests, and we think his positive energy and work ethic will add a lot to our culture. As a player, he is a great athlete with the ability to play the whole court and finish at the net. We look forward to helping him round out his game and reach the high aspirations he has for his tennis."


 
 
Renaud Lefevre
Los Angeles, California
International School of Los Angeles
 
Before Yale: Earned five stars on tennisrecruiting.net… Ranked No. 48 in Class of 2020… Has a  12.12 UTR… Ranked in the top 25 in Southern California section in 18s singles… Competed in the boys national hard court and clay court championships… National Level 2 doubles winner in 2018… National Level 2 singles back draw winner in 2017… National Level 3 doubles winner in 2019… National Level 3 singles back draw winner in 2019.
 
Personal: Earned high honors on the French Brevet Exam in 2018… Started playing tennis at age 10.
 
Why Yale? "Because I wanted to be a part of a community passionate about learning and pursuing the things they love. Here I can follow my favorite subjects by attending top notch classes and improve my tennis with the help of hard working coaches and a caring team."
 
Coach Drake on Lefevre: "Renaud is an aggressive player with a lot of potential to continue developing in college. He is another player who has steadily improved over the last 3-4 years and we see this trend continuing for the next four. He is a motivated player who also competes with the energy and enthusiasm we look for out of our players. He is an excellent athlete with good size who can play a dictating style of tennis. We think Renaud's energy and competitiveness will add a great deal to our practices and competitions."