UCLA
Utah
No. 2 UCLA Secures Pac-12 Regular-Season Crown
April 20, 2018 | Men's Tennis
LOS ANGELES – The No. 2 UCLA men's tennis team unfurled its first banner of 2018 Friday, securing the Pac-12's regular-season championship with a 4-0 win over No. 38 Utah at Los Angeles Tennis Center. The Bruins will look for a second next week as the top seed at the Pac-12 Championships in Ojai, Calif.
The Bruins went 8-0 in Pac-12 play en route to the 42nd regular-season title in program history and third in a row.
"It's really been, not a surprise, but just really, extremely satisfying from a coaching standpoint," said head coach Billy Martin. "Thought we'd have a good team this year, but maybe not a team that's done quite as well as these young men have done—although there's still two major chapters in our goals.
"We've had great chemistry, great leadership with our seniors and certainly a little bit of luck, always. But I'm really, really happy and proud of this team. Think it was a really close-knit group of teammates, families, coaching staff. It's just really been a harmonious year, which doesn't always happen."
It was a fitting end to the final regular-season home match for seniors Austin Rapp, Martin Redlicki and Logan Staggs, who were honored at the conclusion of doubles play. Rapp would go on to clinch the team victory with a straight-set win on court 6.
Courts 1 and 3 raced out to considerable advantages in doubles play for the Bruins, poised to secure the day's first lead. The 58th-ranked pair of Martin Redlicki-Evan Zhu drew first blood on the top court, dispatching the Ute tandem of Egbert Weverink and Joe Woolley, 6-2. Like Redlicki-Zhu, the UCLA duo of Maxime Cressy-Bryce Pereira jumped out to a 2-1 lead before cruising to a 6-2 victory and, ultimately, the doubles point. The pair moved its team-best record to 16-6 (15-4 in dual matches), ending the regular season on a five-match winning streak.
Bruins posted wins on five of six singles courts to inch them closer to the undefeated conference mark. Rapp seemed determined to go out in style, notching a 6-0 first-stanza win. Fellow senior Redlicki would be first off the singles courts, though, as his ranked counterpart, Dan Little, bowed out due to injury. The win improved top-ranked Redlicki to 20-5 on the season—including a 16-4 mark against ranked opponents.
"Probably as important a player in our UCLA men's tennis history," Martin described the 6-5 Boca Raton, Fla. native. "I think when it's all said and done, there will probably be very few players ever to ascertain as many wins, singles and doubles, as he will have accomplished."
On a day dedicated to the seniors, a freshman continued his remarkable debut campaign. Keegan Smith improved to 34-6 on the year (19-2 in dual matches) and will enter his first postseason tournament on an 11-match winning streak. The 52nd-ranked San Diego native defeated Weverink on court 3, 6-2, 6-2.
Appropriately, Rapp would play the role of hero, taking care of Utah's Russell Benkaim, 6-0, 6-4.
Austin Rapp with the clincher on #SeniorDay! The Bruins are the outright @pac12 regular-season champions!#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/NJAMqtbvVN
— UCLA Men's Tennis (@uclatennis) April 20, 2018
"Never a doubt what [Rapp] meant to the team and was always there, day in and day out in practice," Martin said. "And to win his last match here today was extra special—and to clinch it for us today."
No. 94 Staggs, who claimed the first set from Utah's Santiago Sierra before having his match left unfinished, was described as "a pleasant surprise" by Martin.
"Just has been nothing but an incredible source of wins and firepower for our team," Martin added about the transfer from Northwestern, who has turned in 63 wins in three seasons with the Bruins.
The Pac-12 Championships bracket will be announced Monday, with the Bruins penciled in for a Thursday start. For more information, visit the conference's TOURNAMENT PAGE.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3,6
Players Mentioned
