After competing in his first international tournament, McCandless tennis player Jeff Layman looks forward to qualifying for a second one next year.

Layman, 50, compiled a 4-1 record as a doubles player for the United States team in the men's 45-and-over age group at the inaugural International Tennis Federation Young Seniors World Team Championships last month in Antalya, Turkey.

The senior equivalent of Davis Cup and Fed Cup competitions, the tournament was the highest-ranked event on the federation's Seniors Circuit for male and female players ages 35 to 45. Prior to this year, the championships were part of the International Tennis Federation Seniors World Team Championships.

Layman, the tennis head professional and general manager at the Lakevue Athletic Club in Middlesex, was one of four players on the American men's 45-and-over team, which finished eighth of 19 teams.

He was invited to compete based on his record as a United States Tennis Association player. Layman was runner-up in Men's 45 Singles at both the association's National Men's 45 & 50 Grass Court Championships in Philadelphia and the National Men's 45 Indoor Championships in Utah in 2013.

After moving to a new age group, Layman said, he hopes to reach the Seniors World Team Championships for players ages 50 to 60 in Helsinki, Finland, in June 2016. He plans to enter two national tournaments this year in an effort to qualify.

Layman said he needs to lose weight to play better internationally.

“(International) competition is a whole step above,” Layman said. “Everyone's fit; I have to get a little fitter.

“Everyone was in very good shape.”

One of the oldest players on the American men's 45-and-over team, Layman overcame obstacles to post a winning record at the Young Seniors World Team Championships, team captain Curtis Dunn said.

“He (traveled) halfway around the world to play on the excruciatingly slow and frustratingly uneven red-clay courts in Turkey, with a partner he never had played doubles with before,” said Dunn, 47, of San Francisco, who was impressed by Layman's playing style. “Jeff was an absolute magician on the court, picking up clutch volleys at his ankles time and time again, leaving his opponents in awe of his quick hands.”

Layman and partner Kline Sack of New York City scored deciding points twice, including one in a match against Chile that earned the United States team eighth place.

Layman and Sack also defeated duos from Ireland, Finland and Great Britain. Their only loss was to Argentina.

France won the overall team title, with Great Britain second.

Layman said he enjoyed being a national team member.

“Putting on the American jersey and attending opening ceremonies and being part of that (were) awesome,” Layman said. “You just weren't playing for yourself, you were representing your country.”

Layman, a former Clemson University tennis player, ranked first among players in the United States Tennis Association Middle States men's 35 division from 2000 to 2002. His tournament play then slowed down, and he did not compete for about 10 years, Middle States spokesman Michael Gladysz said.

Since February 2013, he has a 47-15 record in Middle States events, with many of those matches against “very high-level players,” Gladysz said.

Layman ended 2014 ranked second in men's 45 singles in the Middle States Allegheny Mountain District.

Layman said friends and relatives persuaded him to play again after he quit to spend more time with his family.

Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer for Trib Total Media.

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