USC won its third Pac-12 Tournament Championship with a thrilling 4-3 win over crosstown rival UCLA. The Trojans jumped out to the early 1-0 lead after winning the deciding doubles match in a tiebreak and then they tacked on four first sets in singles. UCLA junior Martin Redlicki tied the match at 1-1 with a straight set win at No. 2 but USC retook the lead after Logan Smith won 7-5, 6-1 at No. 3. Thibault Forget made it 3-1 after a 6-2, 7-5 win at No. 3 but UCLA wasn’t ready to go away. Maxime Cressy pulled out a 7-6, 6-4 win at No. 6 and Logan Staggs came back from a set down to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 at No. 4. The match came down to a deciding third set at No. 1 between USC freshman Brandon Holt and UCLA senior Gage Brymer. While Holt was holding comfortably, everyone of Brymer’s service games was a battle. Brymer held on the no-ad point in three consecutive service game including when he fell behind 15/40 while serving at 3-4. Holt held for 5-4 and then after going up 0/40 he’d break Brymer from 30/40 to clinch the championship. 

#7 USC 4, #5 UCLA 3
April 29, 2017 | Libbey Park (Ojai, Calif.)
Doubles Results
(1) #7 Redlicki/Zhu (UCLA) def. #11 Holt/R. Smith (USC) – 7-5
(2)#80 Crystal/Verboven (USC) def. Rapp/Di Guilio (UCLA) – 7-6 (2)
(3) Bellamy/Jaede (USC) def. Cressy/Goldberg (UCLA) – 6-2
USC wins doubles point.
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles results
(1) #23 Brandon Holt (USC) def. #22 Gage Brymer (UCLA) – 7-5, 3-6, 6-4*
(2) #56 Martin Redlicki (UCLA) def. Nick Crystal (USC) – 6-2, 6-3
(3) #82 Logan Smith (USC) def. Evan Zhu (UCLA) – 7-5, 6-1
(4) Logan Staggs (UCLA) def. Jack Jaede (USC) – 3-6, 7-5, 6-0
(5) Thibault Forget (USC) def. Joseph Di Guilio (UCLA) – 6-2, 7-5
(6) Maxime Cressy (UCLA) def. Riley Smith (USC) – 7-6 (2), 6-4
Order of finish: 2, 3, 5, 6, 4, 1* 

 Photo by Bill Kallenberg (CapturedInAction.com)

Mississippi State is headed back to the finals of the SEC Tournament for the first time in 21 years after knocking off the top seed Texas A&M 4-3. Mississippi State had to feel reasonably confident about the matchup because they had handed Texas A&M its only conference loss three weeks ago in Starkville. The doubles point went pretty quick with Texas A&M rolling at both No. 1 and No. 2. Texas A&M’s No. 2 team of Jordi Arconada and Hady Habib went up 3-0 and they’d add one more break to win 6-2. The Aggies No. 1 team of Arthur Rinderknech and AJ Catanzariti went up 4-0 to start their match and they’d ultimately close it out 6-2. The match at No. 3 went unfinished with Mississippi State serving up 5-3. 

Mississippi State bounced back in singles and took four opening sets but Texas A&M’s Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot would be the first two to finish. Rinderknech broke Nuno Borges on the no-ad point to go up 5-4 and then he served out the set from 40/30 to take it 6-4. In the second set after Borges went up 1-0, Rinderknech reeled off five straight to go up 5-1 and he’d close it out 6-4, 6-2. 

Vacherot made it 3-0 A&M after he defeated Niclas Braun in straight sets at No. 4. Braun jumped out to a 2-0 lead to start the match but Vacherot got it back on serve and then broke again to go up 4-3. After taking the first set 6-4, Vacherot broke for 2-1 in the second but Braun would break back for 3-3 and then hold for 4-3. Vacherot held for 4-4, broke for 5-4, and then served it out from 40/30 to win it 6-4, 6-4. 

Mississippi State may have been down 3-0 but they still had set leads on each of the four remaining courts. MSU senior Mate Cutura put the Bulldogs first point on the board with an impressive win over Jordi Arconada at No. 2. After eight consecutive holds, Cutura broke Arconada on the no-ad point, via a double fault, for 5-4 and then he served out the set at love to take it 6-4. The second set followed the same script with eight straight holds until Cutura broke Arconada at love to go up 5-4. Cutura served it out from 40/30 to win 6-4, 6-4. 

MSU freshman Giovanni Oradini served for the match at No. 5 up 7-5, 5-4 but A&M freshman Hady Habib would break at love and then hold for 6-5. Habib actually led the set 4-1 before Oradini reeled off four straight to take that 5-4 lead. Oradini held on the no-ad point to force a tiebreak but Habib cruised 7-2 to force a third set.

There was another tiebreak in progress at No. 3 in the match between MSU sophomore Strahinja Rakic and A&M junior AJ Catanzariti. Rakic won the first set in a tiebreak and then after trailing 5-2 in the second he came back to tie it at 5-5. Catanzariti held on the no-ad point for 6-5 and then Rakic held to force the tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Catanzariti had a set point on his serve up 6-5 but he double faulted it away and then Rakic won the next two to close it out 7-6(5), 7-6(6). 

Roughly 10 minutes later the match would be leveled at 3-3 after MSU freshman Simon Baudry defeated Max Lunkin in three sets at No. 6. Baudry, who was a late substitution for Trevor Foshey, cruised through the first set 6-1 and then he served for the match twice in the second set up 5-4 and 6-5. Lunkin, who was a late substitution for Aleksandre Bakshi, broke back both times and then after going up 4-0 in the tiebreak would take it 7-5. Baudry went up 3-0 in the third and had a chance to go up 4-0 but Lunkin held on the no-ad point for 3-1. Baudry held two more times and then broke Lunkin from 15/40 to win 6-1, 6-7, 6-2.

Back at No. 5, Oradini had just held on the no-ad point for 2-1 in the third and a few games later he’d break for 4-2. Oradini had two game points for 5-2 but Habib came back to break and then he held at love for 4-4. Oradini fell behind 0/30 on his next service game but he held on the no-ad point after Habib went long on a forehand. Oradini would then break Habib at love to close it out 7-5, 6-7, 6-4. The first clip was my view from further away while the second was obviously from courtside. Down below that are some highlights that I shot during the match (FYI, I missed the doubles clincher at No. 1)

Post-Match Quotes from MSU’s recap
“This is what college tennis is all about,” head coach Matt Roberts said. “We knew it would be a battle with Texas A&M. They’re a great team and fight for every point. I’m so proud of the heart and fight we displayed today, but I’m not surprised one bit because that’s what we’ve done all season long.”

“Even though we lost the doubles point, we still felt pretty good going into singles,” Roberts said. “We were energetic and supporting each other the entire time. We work on that aspect of our game a lot and competing as one unit. Today was a great example of how you can turn around a match by competing with the Bulldog next to you.”

“We don’t view Giovanni and Simon as freshmen, we view them as two guys fighting for their teammates,” Roberts said. “They’ve been training and preparing for this moment and we knew they would step up to the challenge.”

“All I was thinking was that I had to get this done for my team,” Oradini said. “I felt really confident because everyone was supporting me and I knew my brothers were there for me. I just played all out every point and left everything I had on the court.”

“The team gave me a lot of adrenaline for that final set,” Oradini said following his win. “They were giving me all their energy and helped me get that last push. I wanted to overcome my limits, so I wasn’t worried how tired I was in the moment. I told myself that I would have time to rest after the match, so I blocked the pain out.”

“Our guys are in great shape by the way we train and work hard every day,” Roberts said of his team’s physique. “Cramping or getting tired is never a thought for our guys, because we’ve prepared for these kind of moments all season long and we’re peaking at the right time.”

Post-Match Quotes from head coach Steve Denton via TAMU’s recap
About the match…”We are pleased with how we came out in the doubles with lots of energy and we knew that Mississippi State would be really good and not just roll over after dropping the doubles point. The last time we played them it was really close and that happened again today. We got out in front at 3-0, but couldn’t quite get over the hump and put them away. Our guys battled after losing some first sets trying to put us in position to get the win, but just couldn’t quite get it done today. Give Mississippi State a lot of credit, they fought hard today and were able to win three matches in three days here in Knoxville. They just played a little bit better than we did today. We will regroup and get back to work to get ready for the NCAA Tournament.”

On Rinderknech’s win over Borges…”Arthur started a little tentative in singles, but once got the rhythm on his serve and return game he did a great job on dominating that match. These types of matches are always a little tough, points here or there can swing the match and Arthur did a good job of taking advantage of those points today. He looked really sharp and looked really aggressive which started in the doubles. I thought him and AJ were really good in their doubles match today and he was able to carry that over into his singles match. Once he got that first set under his belt he was able to relax a little bit and play at a really high level.”

In the first semifinal of the day it was the No. 2 seed Georgia edging No. 3 Florida 4-3. Florida’s No. 2 doubles team of Maxx Lipman and Elliott Orkin raced out to a 5-1 lead but Georgia’s Wayne Montgomery and Walker Duncan would take the next three to pull within 5-4. Orkin managed to serve it out from 40/15 to give Florida the 6-4 win. Georgia’s No. 3 team of Paul Oosterbaan and Emil Reinberg broke Florida at love to start the match and they’d maintain the break lead the rest of the way and win 6-4. Florida’s best chance to break came when Oosterbaan served at 3-2 (30/40) but he hit an ace and a service winner to get the hold. Georgia’s No. 1 team of Jan Zielinski and Robert Loeb would clinch the doubles point after picking up their second top five win of the week. Zielinski and Loeb broke Florida on the no-ad point to go up 3-2 and they’d break again for 5-2. Florida’s Alfredo Perez and Johannes Ingildsen fought off a match point and broke for 5-3 and then Perez held at love for 5-4. Loeb held on the no-ad point to win it 6-4 after Zielinski hit a pair of nice volleys to force an error. Below is some footage from the doubles point:

Georgia’s 1-0 lead would be gone within 10 minutes because Alfredo Perez would pick up a quick win after Nathan Ponwith retired with an achilles injury after the third game of the first set. Ponwith dropped the first eight points of the match to go down 2-0 before he held for 2-1. During the changeover he sat down on the bench but he didn’t make it back. Ponwith sat out doubles in both this match and the Arkansas match although he did play singles against Mike Redlicki in a match that went unfinished.

Georgia would end up taking three first sets in the remaining matches while Florida added two more at the bottom of the lineup. 

Georgia sophomore Emil Reinberg put Georgia back in front with a straight set win over Chase Perez-Blanco at No. 3. Reinberg broke Perez-Blanco to start the match and he’d break him again to go up 4-1. Reinberg closed out the first set 6-2, after holding on the no-ad point, and then he’d go up a break to start the second set. Reinberg pulled away and won it 6-2, 6-2. 

Florida sophomore McClain Kessler tied the match at 2-2 after he defeated Robert Loeb in straight sets at No. 6. Kessler broke Loeb for 5-3 in the first and then held to take the set 6-3. In the second set it stayed on serve until Kessler broke for 4-3 and then after holding he’d break again to take it 6-3, 6-3. After the way Paul Oosterbaan played on Friday, I thought he’d play today but Loeb beat Kessler 6-1, 6-2 just three weeks ago so that’s why he got the nod – of course it has to be noted that was Kessler’s first match back after missing close to two months with an injury.  

Florida freshman Johannes Ingildsen gave the Gators its first lead of the day with a straight set win over Walker Duncan at No. 5. Ingildsen broke Duncan for 3-2 in the first and then a few games later he’d fight off two break points to hold for 5-3. Ingildsen would end up taking the set 6-4 and then he broke Duncan on the no-ad point to go up 1-0 in the second. Duncan broke back and held for 2-1 but Ingildsen held, broke, and held again for 4-2. Three games later Ingildsen would break once more to close it out 6-4, 6-3.

Even though Florida had the lead Georgia was nearing the finish line on both other courts. Georgia junior Wayne Montgomery and Florida senior Elliott Orkin split 6-1 sets (Montgomery first/Orkin second) but Montgomery was pulling away in the third up 4-1. In the other match at No. 4, Georgia sophomore Jan Zielinski was up a set and he and Florida senior Maxx Lipman were headed to a second set tiebreak. 

Montgomery extended the lead to 5-1 with a no-ad break and then he served it out from 40/30 with a forehand winner to take it 6-1, 1-6, 6-1. 

Zielinski went up a double mini-break at 4-1 in the tiebreak but Lipman won three straight to tie it at 4-4. Zielinski came back to take the next three with an ace on match point to seal it. Below is match point and below that is some footage I shot during singles. 

#13 Georgia 4, #14 Florida 3
April 29, 2017 at Knoxville, Tenn. (Barksdale Stadium)
Singles Results
1. #8 Alfredo Perez (UF) def. #49 Nathan Ponwith (UGA) 2-1, retired
2. #31 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) def. #81 Elliott Orkin (UF) 6-1, 1-6, 6-1
3. #61 Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Chase Perez-Blanco (UF) 6-2, 6-2
4. Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. Maxx Lipman (UF) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
5. Johannes Ingildsen (UF) def. Walker Duncan (UGA) 6-4, 6-3
6. McClain Kessler (UF) def. Robert Loeb (UGA) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles Results
1. #2 Robert Loeb/Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. #5 Alfredo Perez/Johannes Ingildsen (UF) 6-4
2. Maxx Lipman/Elliott Orkin (UF) def. Wayne Montgomery/Walker Duncan (UGA) 6-4
3. Paul Oosterbaan/Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Chase Perez-Blanco/Joshua Wardell (UF) 6-4
Match Notes
Georgia 16-7; National ranking #13
Florida 17-9; National ranking #14
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,3,6,5,2,4)

Post-Match Quotes from UGA’s recap
“I am so proud of our team,” head coach Manuel Diaz said. “Florida came out really strong in singles after we won the doubles point, and our guys showed a lot of fight. It was a very physical match and was really the first time this season we have faced this kind of hot weather. It took a lot out of us, but we just fought through it and were able to hold off Florida at crucial times during the match.”

Third-ranked Virginia advanced the finals of the ACC Tournament with a thrilling 4-3 win over North Carolina. UVA took the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 but North Carolina took four first sets in singles. UNC’s Ronnie Schneider and William Blumberg put the Tar Heels ahead with close straight set wins at No. 1 and No. 2 but UVA’s Henrik Wiersholm tied the match with a straight set win at No. 6. 

JC Aragone put UVA back in front with a three set win at No. 5 but UNC’s Simon Soendergaard pulled off an upset and won 7-6, 7-5 at No. 3. UNC’s Robert Kelly went ahead 3-0 in the third set of the deciding match but UVA’s Collin Altamirano won four straight to go up 4-3. After an exchange of holds, Altamirano broke Kelly to win it 7-6, 4-6, 6-4. 

North Carolina will play the top seed Wake Forest in the final.

#3 Virginia 4, #12 North Carolina 3
Apr 29, 2017 at Rome Tennis Center at Berry College (Rome, GA)
Singles competition
1. #21 Ronnie Schneider (NC) def. #90 Alexander Ritschard (VA) 7-6 (11-9), 6-2
2. #28 William Blumberg (NC) def. #15 Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (VA) 7-5, 6-4
3. Simon Soendergaard (NC) def. #109 Carl Soderlund (VA) 7-6 (8-6), 7-5
4. #46 Collin Altamirano (VA) def. #106 Robert Kelly (NC) 7-6, 4-6, 6-4
5. #117 J.C. Aragone (VA) def. Jack Murray (NC) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
6. #95 Henrik Wiersholm (VA) def. Blaine Boyden (NC) 7-5, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. #16 Luca Corinteli/Carl Soderlund (VA) def. #10 William Blumberg/Robert Kelly (NC) 4-3
2. Thai-Son Kwiatkowski/Alexander Ritschard (VA) def. Jack Murray/Simon Soendergaard (NC) 6-3
3. Collin Altamirano/J.C. Aragone (VA) def. Anu Kodali/Ronnie Schneider (NC) 6-2
Match Notes
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (2,1,6,5,3,4)
Men’s Tennis Championship Semifinals

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TCU won its 14th straight match and second straight Big 12 Tournament Championship with a 4-0 win over Texas Tech. The Red Raiders came into the match having defeated three top 10 opponents in the last week but they weren’t able to defeat a fourth. TCU took the doubles point and Cameron Norrie, Trevor Johnson, and Reese Stalder each won in straight sets with Norrie getting the clincher. 

#4 TCU 4, #41 Texas Tech 0
Apr 29, 2017 at Norman, Okla. (Headington Family Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. #1 Cameron Norrie (TCU) def. #29 Jolan Cailleau (TT) 6-1, 6-3
2. #20 Alex Rybakov (TCU) vs. #79 Bjorn Thomson (TT) 6-2, 5-2, unfinished
3. #85 Guillermo Nuñez (TCU) vs. Alex Sendegeya (TT) 3-6, 3-3, unfinished
4. Jerry Lopez (TCU) vs. Connor Curry (TT) 3-6, 4-1, unfinished
5. Trevor Johnson (TCU) def. Carlos DiLaura (TT) 6-1, 6-3
6. Reese Stalder (TCU) def. Jackson Cobb (TT) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #33 Jerry Lopez/Reese Stalder (TCU) def. #13 Connor Curry/Bjorn Thomson (TT) 6-1
2. #49 Guillermo Nuñez/Alex Rybakov (TCU) vs. Jolan Cailleau/Carlos DiLaura (TT) 5-2, unfinished
3. Cameron Norrie/Trevor Johnson (TCU) def. Alex Sendegeya/Jackson Cobb (TT) 6-2
Match Notes:
Texas Tech 13-15; National ranking #41
TCU 19-4; National ranking #4
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (5,6,1)
Big 12 Men’s Championships – Final
Match played indoors

Post-Match Quote from head coach David Roditi via TCU’s recap
“There’s a lot to be proud of. The guys had to overcome a lot to be here. It’s such a tough league. It just shows you that the team that was supposed to be ranked a lot lower than the rest is in the finals. Very proud as the head coach of the Frogs. Very proud to be Big 12 champs. First of all, I’d like to congratulate Texas Tech. What a fun run. Hate to be the one to end such a Cinderella run. So much credit to those guys. Really nice group of guys there that are so competitive and so gritty. They deserve a lot of credit for that.”