Former Wolfpack tennis star and 2008 graduate James McGee achieved a lifelong dream last week by winning three qualifying rounds to earn a bid to the Grand Slam event of the 2014 U.S. Open. The 27-year-old’s fairy tale came to an end on Monday, where he came up short in his matchup against Aleksandr Nedovyesov of Kazakhstan and was knocked out in the Open’s first round.

The Dublin, Ireland native was a dynamic member of the NC State tennis team in his two seasons playing for the Pack. In 2007, McGee led the Wolfpack to compete in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament, which was the best finish in school history. In the following year, McGee earned All-ACC honors in his sophomore season and continued to dominate on the tennis court, playing as the No. 1 on his team.

Since playing for the Pack, McGee has struggled to find a presence in the pro circuit of the tennis world, and has clung to his dreams by competing in any small tournament he can find.

McGee’s big break finally came when he, the No. 194 international player, accrued a string of victories when competing in the qualifying rounds of the U.S. Open. As the No. 1 Irish contender, McGee defeated Chile’s Gonzalo Lama, India’s Yuki Bhambri and defied a cramp to defeat China’s Zhang Ze to qualify. This marks the first time that a 27-year-old had qualified at the grand slam of the U.S. Open.

In Monday’s matchup against Nedovyesov, McGee’s entire family flew to New York to watch him play. The Dubliner played comfortably in the first set, scraping out a 6-4 win.

McGee’s poor returns and costly misjudged shots allowed Nedovyesov to quickly bounce back in the next two sets, dominating with his powerful serves. Nedovyesov took the lead with two easy set wins, 6-2, 6-1.

McGee’s confidence grew back, as he refused to let go of his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete at the venue. The two competitors fought toe-to-toe in the fourth set, then faced off in a tiebreaker, where the No. 107 Kazakh clinched the victory, winning 7-3 in the break.

McGee didn’t hang his head after the defeat, as the loss served as a closing to his most successful run in his professional career. The determined Irishman spent his entire career fighting to make a living in the game and achieved his biggest payday from qualifying, leaving the tournament with his wallet $35,000 thicker.