WACO, Texas – Spencer Johnson and Emon van Loben Sels of the UCLA men's tennis team were successful in their NCAA Championships singles debuts Tuesday, advancing at Hurd Tennis Center.
No. 55 Johnson needed a comeback against Duncan Chan of TCU, but answered the call for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. In the deciding set, Johnson broke for 3-2 and that proved to be the difference. In one of the day's opening matches, van Loben Sels beat No. 123 Alex Chang of California 6-2, 7-5. The Bruin took the final three games of the first set and then dug himself out of 0-2 and 1-3 holes in the second.
Wednesday's singles match times are still to be determined, but Johnson next meets Braden Shick of NC State. No. 33 Shick took down 12th-ranked Petar Jovanovic of Mississippi State 7-6(4), 6-3 Tuesday. On the other side of the bracket, van Loben Sels takes on Corey Craig of Florida State. Craig bested No. 9-16 seed Oscar Lacides of Oklahoma 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(5) in the first round.
Doubles also begins Wednesday. The UCLA combination of Alexander Hoogmartens and Aadarsh Tripathi faces off against the No. 5-8-seeded and 26th-ranked team of Baylor's Devin Badenhorst and Zsombor Velcz. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. PT.
No. 55 Johnson needed a comeback against Duncan Chan of TCU, but answered the call for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. In the deciding set, Johnson broke for 3-2 and that proved to be the difference. In one of the day's opening matches, van Loben Sels beat No. 123 Alex Chang of California 6-2, 7-5. The Bruin took the final three games of the first set and then dug himself out of 0-2 and 1-3 holes in the second.
Wednesday's singles match times are still to be determined, but Johnson next meets Braden Shick of NC State. No. 33 Shick took down 12th-ranked Petar Jovanovic of Mississippi State 7-6(4), 6-3 Tuesday. On the other side of the bracket, van Loben Sels takes on Corey Craig of Florida State. Craig bested No. 9-16 seed Oscar Lacides of Oklahoma 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(5) in the first round.
Doubles also begins Wednesday. The UCLA combination of Alexander Hoogmartens and Aadarsh Tripathi faces off against the No. 5-8-seeded and 26th-ranked team of Baylor's Devin Badenhorst and Zsombor Velcz. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. PT.