VALENCIA — From dormancy to dominance.

After not playing competitive tennis for 10 years, Lakevue Athletic Club tennis pro Jeff Layman is back on top of his game — and headed to Turkey to prove it.

Layman, 50, will be among four United States tennis players competing in the Dubler Cup — the seniors’ version of the Davis Cup — in Turkey March 16-21.

The Dubler Cup is for players ages 45-older and has existed since 1958.

The McCandless Township resident was selected as part of the team through his United States Tennis Association ranking. He was ranked No. 3 in the men’s 45-over division in 2013, the year he returned to the sport competitively.

“My girlfriend, Summer Wise, talked me into it,” Layman said of his return to competitive tennis. “I had coached at Robert Morris, had small children at the time and just got away from playing.

“Summer plays tennis and I hit with her quite a bit at Lakevue. She convinced me I could still play at a high level.”

Growing up in Florida, Layman was one of the top junior tennis players in the state. He was ranked as high as third at one point.

He wound up at Clemson University and was ranked No. 3 among amateur players in the United States while in college. From 2000-2002, he was the top-ranked men’s 35’s player in the middle states.

“My coach in Florida, Krisnan Anandan, wound up buying the Lakevue Club and that’s how I got here,” Layman said. “I met Summer through tennis as well.”

Wise couldn’t believe Layman wasn’t playing competitively.

“I just saw how good he was,” Wise said. “He plays at a different level that you just don’t see.

“He’s a great anticipator. He knows where the ball’s going to be hit. His backhand slice is hard for opponents to play and he volleys extremely well. That makes him a good doubles player, too.”

The year he returned to competition, Layman reached the finals of the National Grass Court Championships in Philadelphia. His national ranking slipped from third to 15th last year “because I didn’t play in nearly enough tournaments.”

The Dubler Cup features 24 countries, singles and doubles matches. Layman isn’t sure what his role on the team will be just yet.

“I could be named captain. That has yet to be determined,” he said. “We have to commit to being in Turkey for 11 days. We’ll play eight or nine matches, so I imagine I’ll be playing singles and doubles.”

Layman said he’s always stayed in shape through the years from playing recreational tennis and teaching the sport.

“He never lost his competitive nature,” Wise said. “Once we started playing tennis together, he got the bug back.

“It didn’t take him long at all to resume playing at a very high level.”