by Bobby Knight | Jun 11, 2017 | Blog
Prior to this week Michael Venus (LSU ’09) had never made it past the round of 16 at a grand slam but today he and Ryan Harrison are French Open doubles champions after the duo defeated Donald Young and Santiago Gonzalez in a tough three-setter. There were no breaks of serve in the first two sets with Venus and Harrison taking the first set 7-6(5) while Young and Gonzalez claimed the second set 7-6(4). In the third and final set, Venus and Harrison broke for 4-2 but Young and Gonzalez broke back in a four-deuce game for 4-3. Venus and Harrison broke again for 5-3 and then Harrison served it out in a one-deuce game to give the guys with Louisiana...
by Bobby Knight | Jun 8, 2017 | Blog
The biggest coaching opening on the women’s side was filled today when USC Athletic Director Lynn Swann announced the hiring of Alison Swain as the Trojans new women’s head coach. Swain, who is a 2001 Williams graduate, had been coaching at her alma mater since 2007 and in those 10 years she won a staggering 8 NCAA Division III National Championships while her squads went 224-28 (.889). Swain replaces six-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year Richard Gallien who stepped down after 22 years on the job. Below are a few quotes from USC’s release and the Williams College release also has some quotes as well. “We are delighted and...
by Bobby Knight | Jun 5, 2017 | Blog
It was a busy and successful weekend for several players with college tennis ties. Kevin Anderson (Illinois ’07) surged into the fourth round at the French Open, which equals a career-best performance, after defeating Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund in five sets. Anderson trailed Edmund two sets to one but he cruised through the fourth set 6-1 and then broke Edmund for 5-4 and served it out to win 6-7, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 in 3 hours and 59 minutes. Next up for Anderson will be the No. 8 seed Marin Cilic with Cilic leading the head-to-head 5-1 although Anderson won the last time they met on clay back in 2013.Both Robert Farah (USC ’10) and Michael...
by Bobby Knight | Jun 2, 2017 | Blog
Former collegians John Isner (Georgia ’07) and Kevin Anderson (Illinois ’07) joined Steve Johnson (USC ’12) in the third round at the French Open. Isner hammered 21 aces and held his serve all 17 times in a 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 win over No. 34 Paolo Lorenzi. Isner has now made it to the third round at the French four times in the last five years with his best finishes coming in 2016 and 2014 when he made the round of 16. Isner will face #53 Karen Khachanov in the third round after the Russian ousted the No. 13 seed Tomas Berdych in straight sets – Isner and Khachanov have not played before. Anderson advanced to the third round for...
by Bobby Knight | May 31, 2017 | Blog
The coaching carousel should continue spinning all summer long and today another position was filled when Liberty Athletic Director Ian McCaw named Derek Schwandt as the new men’s head tennis coach. Schwandt served as the assistant coach at Georgia Tech for the last five years and prior to that he spent time at Fresno State and Virginia. The 2005 Richmond graduate replaces Chris Johnson who stepped down on May 5th after 11 seasons. The full release from the school is available here and below are a few quotes: “I would like to thank Liberty University, Ian McCaw and the hiring committee for the incredible opportunity to lead Flames...
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