Saturday, May 3
Berkeley, Calif.
1:00 PM
UCLA
4
at
2
California
Alexander Hoogmartens
Men's Tennis Downs No. 11-Seed Cal, 4-2 in NCAA Second Round
May 03, 2025 | Men's Tennis
BERKELEY, Calif. -- The UCLA men's tennis team booked a place in next week's NCAA Super Regionals after the Bruins upset No. 11-seed Cal, 4-2 on Saturday afternoon at Cal's Hellman Tennis Complex. With the win, UCLA (18-8) advances to face the winner of tomorrow's NCAA Second Round contest between Big Ten rival USC and No. 6-seed San Diego.
In the only prior meeting between the two teams this year, Cal posted a 4-2 victory on Feb. 1 at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. Similar to that match, the Bears would take the doubles point again on Saturday, picking up a pair of wins at Courts 1 and 3 to take a 1-0 lead heading into singles play. That point was clinched at Court 3, where Timofey Stepanov and Mikey Wright overcame Gianluca Ballotta and Emon van Loben Sels, 6-4.
After dropping doubles, UCLA found itself needing four wins in singles play to keep its NCAA title hopes alive. Fortunately for the Bruins, a pair of straight-set victories at the bottom two courts would take off the pressure. Spencer Johnson was first to finish, downing Derrick Chen, 6-2 6-3 at Court 5. Giacomo Revelli would follow suit, beating Bernardo Munk Mesa, 6-4, 7-6(5) to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead.
Playing in his first NCAA Tournament freshman Kaylan Bigun was next to finish, as he gave UCLA a 3-1 lead with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) victory over Theo Dean at Court 3. At the time of Bigun's victory, all three remaining matches were extremely close. In a battle of top-20 opponents at Court 1, Cal's No. 17 Carl Emil Overbeck notched a 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 victory over No. 20 Rudy Quan, who like Bigun is playing in his first NCAA Tournament.
With UCLA ahead 3-2, the match came down to Courts 2 and 4, where the Bruins' van Loben Sels and Alexander Hoogmartens were in a pair of third sets. van Loben Sels actually had a match point up 5-4 in the third against Alex Chang, however wasn't able to convert. That turned all the attention to Court 4, where Hoogmartens held on for a 7-6(7), 1-6, 6-3 victory to clinch the 4-2 win for UCLA. Hoogmartens fought off a set point in the first set.
Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs California
5/3/2025 at Berkeley, CA
(Hellman Tennis Complex)
#16 UCLA 4, #11 California 2
Singles competition
1. #17 Carl Emil Overbeck (CAL) def. #20 Rudy Quan (UCLA) 5-7, 7-5, 6-3
2. #76 Alex Chang (CAL) vs. #110 Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) 6-3, 5-7, 5-5, unfinished
3. Kaylan Bigun (UCLA) def. #60 Theo Dean (CAL) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Alexander Hoogmartens (UCLA) def. Timofey Stepanov (CAL) 7-6 (9-7), 1-6, 6-3
5. #35 Spencer Johnson (UCLA) def. Derrick Chen (CAL) 6-2, 6-3
6. Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) def. Bernardo Munk Mesa (CAL) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
Doubles competition
1. #35 Theo Dean/Carl Emil Overbeck (CAL) def. Alexander Hoogmartens/Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) 6-3
2. Spencer Johnson/Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. Alex Chang/Derrick Chen (CAL) 6-3
3. Timofey Stepanov/Mikey Wright (CAL) def. Gianluca Ballotta/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) 6-4
Match Notes:
UCLA 18-8; National ranking #16
California 19-5; National ranking #11 Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (5,6,3,1,4)
In the only prior meeting between the two teams this year, Cal posted a 4-2 victory on Feb. 1 at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. Similar to that match, the Bears would take the doubles point again on Saturday, picking up a pair of wins at Courts 1 and 3 to take a 1-0 lead heading into singles play. That point was clinched at Court 3, where Timofey Stepanov and Mikey Wright overcame Gianluca Ballotta and Emon van Loben Sels, 6-4.
After dropping doubles, UCLA found itself needing four wins in singles play to keep its NCAA title hopes alive. Fortunately for the Bruins, a pair of straight-set victories at the bottom two courts would take off the pressure. Spencer Johnson was first to finish, downing Derrick Chen, 6-2 6-3 at Court 5. Giacomo Revelli would follow suit, beating Bernardo Munk Mesa, 6-4, 7-6(5) to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead.
Playing in his first NCAA Tournament freshman Kaylan Bigun was next to finish, as he gave UCLA a 3-1 lead with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) victory over Theo Dean at Court 3. At the time of Bigun's victory, all three remaining matches were extremely close. In a battle of top-20 opponents at Court 1, Cal's No. 17 Carl Emil Overbeck notched a 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 victory over No. 20 Rudy Quan, who like Bigun is playing in his first NCAA Tournament.
With UCLA ahead 3-2, the match came down to Courts 2 and 4, where the Bruins' van Loben Sels and Alexander Hoogmartens were in a pair of third sets. van Loben Sels actually had a match point up 5-4 in the third against Alex Chang, however wasn't able to convert. That turned all the attention to Court 4, where Hoogmartens held on for a 7-6(7), 1-6, 6-3 victory to clinch the 4-2 win for UCLA. Hoogmartens fought off a set point in the first set.
Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs California
5/3/2025 at Berkeley, CA
(Hellman Tennis Complex)
#16 UCLA 4, #11 California 2
Singles competition
1. #17 Carl Emil Overbeck (CAL) def. #20 Rudy Quan (UCLA) 5-7, 7-5, 6-3
2. #76 Alex Chang (CAL) vs. #110 Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) 6-3, 5-7, 5-5, unfinished
3. Kaylan Bigun (UCLA) def. #60 Theo Dean (CAL) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Alexander Hoogmartens (UCLA) def. Timofey Stepanov (CAL) 7-6 (9-7), 1-6, 6-3
5. #35 Spencer Johnson (UCLA) def. Derrick Chen (CAL) 6-2, 6-3
6. Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) def. Bernardo Munk Mesa (CAL) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
Doubles competition
1. #35 Theo Dean/Carl Emil Overbeck (CAL) def. Alexander Hoogmartens/Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) 6-3
2. Spencer Johnson/Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. Alex Chang/Derrick Chen (CAL) 6-3
3. Timofey Stepanov/Mikey Wright (CAL) def. Gianluca Ballotta/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) 6-4
Match Notes:
UCLA 18-8; National ranking #16
California 19-5; National ranking #11 Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (5,6,3,1,4)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2,3
#1 Singles Match
123
753
Carl Emil Overbeck / 0 (17/-) [CAL]
576
#2 Singles Match
1234
3750
Alex Chang / 0 (76/-) [CAL]
655UF
#3 Singles Match
123
467
Theo Dean / 0 (60/-) [CAL]
636
#4 Singles Match
123
716
Timofey Stepanov / 0 [CAL]
663
#5 Singles Match
12
66
Derrick Chen / 0 [CAL]
23
#6 Singles Match
12
67
Bernardo Munk Mesa / 0 [CAL]
46
Order of Finish:
5,6,3,1,4
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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