Friday, May 10
Waco, Texas
6:00 p.m. CT
Baylor
4
vs
1
UCLA (Super Regional)
No. 6 MT Earns 4-1 Win over No. 11 UCLA in NCAA Super Regional
5/10/2019 9:37:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Bears advance to NCAA quarterfinals for 13th time in program history
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Jimmy Bendeck says the motto for him and the sixth-seeded Baylor men's tennis team is to "enjoy the moment."
Bendeck made it a moment to remember by rallying from a break down and taking the last eight games to clinch the Bears' 4-1 win over 11th-seeded UCLA in Friday's NCAA Super Regional match at the Hurd Tennis Center.
"We had a lot of fans, a lot of friends came for me and sat on my court. It's special," said Bendeck, who defeated the Bruins' Roscoe Bellamy, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, in a crazy back-and-forth battle on Court 6. "I had one more (match) and it's over now. I'm really thankful for everything that happened. I'm just grateful I got the opportunity."
Now, Baylor (25-5) gets the opportunity to advance to the NCAA Championship quarterfinals for the first time in four years and 13thtime overall. The Bears will face either third-seeded Florida or 14th-seeded Tennessee next Thursday at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
"I think we're playing our best tennis right now, and that's what matters," said first-year Baylor head coach Brian Boland, who won four national championships in five years at Virginia before working with the USTA last year. "This team is special, I really believe in them. We're really just getting started, I think, to play our best tennis. And we're looking forward to being in Orlando."
Boland couldn't have dreamed up a better scene for Friday's match. A crowd of more than 1,000 fans packed the stands and the grassy areas on either end of the facility to watch the first Super Regional in a format that changed this year.
UCLA coach Billy Martin, whose team finished 19-6, said it was a "great college match, great atmosphere . . . that's what we want."
Having Baylor coaches and athletes from other sports on hand made it "an incredible atmosphere," Boland said. Among those in the season-high crowd of 1,029 were football head coach Matt Rhule and several of his assistant coaches.
"College tennis is special," he said. "To be able to host a Super Regional against such a storied program as UCLA on Friday night, I'm just really appreciative of the Waco community and everyone at Baylor who came out to support us. I'm really happy for the players. This is what you play for, and they responded. We get to advance and move on to the Elite Eight."
The Bears grabbed the early momentum by taking the doubles point with wins on Courts 2 and 3. Johannes Schretter and Constantin Frantzen jumped out to a 3-0 lead and rolled over Bryce Pereira and Patrick Zahraj at No. 3; and then Will Little and Matias Soto clinched it by beating Govind Nanda and Connor Rapp, 6-4, at No. 2.
"The crazy thing is we had three break chances, and they just kept coming up with the goods," Little said. "I was just like, 'Matias, we're going to break them.' We got that fourth no-ad point, and we got it. Then, we served it out at love. And that set the tone for the match."
Boland said Schretter was the one who set the tone "for everyone on the team but certainly on Court 3" with the energy he brought into the match.
"He was just really clicking and playing well," Boland said of Schretter, who improved to 10-2 at No. 3 doubles with Frantzen. "He's been a great leader for us, particularly the last half of the spring. And it showed tonight."
Riding the momentum of the opening doubles point, Baylor took the first sets on five of the six singles courts to take complete control of the match.
Sophomore Sven Lah was barely pushed ar No. 5, cruising to a 6-2, 6-3 win over Ben Goldberg to put the Bears up 2-0.
"Sven's been kind of that point for us all year long," Boland said of Lah, who improved to a team-best 22-3 in dual matches and 29-8 overall. "If we go down in doubles, he's usually the guy who gets us back on the board. And same thing goes, if we get some momentum, he makes us feel like we still have hit in singles. He's had an amazing year."
Freshman Adrian Boitan, who had clinched the previous four matches, just couldn't wait this time. He did get broken in the second set, but broke right back and made it 3-0 with a 6-2, 6-4 win over 68th-ranked Govind Nanda on Court 3.
"It's exciting to see what he's already been able to do as a freshman," Boland said of Boitan, who improved to 7-0 versus ranked opponents and 16-4 overall in dual matches. "What's even more impressive is how much better we think he can get. He's embraced Baylor and the culture and everything to do with the program. and it shows."
UCLA had battled back to take two matches to three sets and got on the board when 18th-ranked Maxime Cressy knocked off Schretter, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 1. Zahraj trailed Little 4-3 in a second-set tiebreaker after dropping the first set, 6-2, at No. 4, while 36th-ranked Keegan Smith led Soto, 2-6, 6-4, 5-1, at No. 2 when the match ended.
"That's always tough for any team to close it out," UCLA's Martin said. "Sometimes, there's a little moment of doubt, I guess, crossing the finish line."
Bendeck credited volunteer assistant coach Izak van der Merewe for helping him get it turned around after he fell down 2-0 in the third set.
"It was really bumpy for me for a while. I'd lost eight of nine games, and we changed the game plan, locked it down a little bit," Bendeck said. "It was just about focus and believing."
The senior also took a much more aggressive approach in the third set, forcing the action with Bellamy and getting him out of his comfort zone.
"He was standing further back on the serve, and it's just something you do when the guy is retrieving and making more balls," Bendeck said. "It was a good adjustment in the middle of the third that made him play more aggressive."
Boland said Bendeck is a "competitor in everything he does on and off the court."
"I'm really proud of him. He's had an up-and-down career, and for him to accomplish what he has so far and to be able to clinch that match against UCLA and go to the Elite Eight is pretty special. . . . You could tell that (Bendeck and Little) wanted to be out there, and they embraced the environment and the pressure that goes along with it. They've worked for this, and they deserve it. This is a really special group."
THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas – After capturing a close doubles point, six-seeded Baylor men's tennis (25-5) rolled off three singles wins to record a 4-1 victory over No. 11 UCLA (19-6) in the NCAA Super Regional Friday at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco.
BU earned a spot in the NCAA quarterfinals for the 13th time in program history and first since 2015. With the win, the Bears went a perfect 16-0 at home in 2019, marking its ninth perfect season in Waco and first since 2014.
The Bears and Bruins battled it out in doubles action with BU taking a 3-0 lead on court three and UCLA doing the same on court one. Johannes Schretter and Constantin Frantzen won their 10th match of the season together with a 6-3 victory on court three, and then Will Little and Matias Soto clinched the opening point with a 6-4 win on court two.
With the Bears taking five opening sets, No. 76 Sven Lah put the Bears up 2-0 with his 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Ben Goldberg at the No. 5 position. No. 112 Adrian Boitan pushed the lead with a 6-2, 6-4 victory against No. 68 Govind Nanda on court three.
With the Bears up 3-0, UCLA got its lone point with No. 18 Maxime Cressy's 6-4, 6-1 win over No. 20 Johannes Schretter on court one.
With No. 25 Soto deep in the third set and No. 78 Little in a second-set tiebreaker, Jimmy Bendeck closed out the match with an emphatic 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over Roscoe Bellamy on court six.
To keep up with things all season long, follow the team on social media: @BaylorMTennis.
HIGHLIGHTS
• The Bears improve to 59-20 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including 13-5 in the Round of 16.
• The Bears had a season-high 1,029 fans attend Friday's match.
• Baylor advances to the NCAA quarterfinals for the 13th time in 22 NCAA appearances.
• Baylor finishes with a 16-0 home record for its ninth undefeated season at home in program history and first since 2014.
• Baylor outscored opponents 86-10 in Waco this season.
• Baylor is now 32-1 in its last 33 home matches dating back to the 2017 season.
• Baylor improves to 10-6 all-time against UCLA and 3-1 against the Bruins in the NCAA Tournament.
• Baylor is now 31-1 all-time in NCAA matches at home.
• BU improves to 17-5 against ranked opponents this season.
• Baylor is now 22-7 in the doubles point and 21-1 when winning the opening point this season.
• Adrian Boitan improved to 7-0 against ranked foes this season.
• Jimmy Bendeck improves to 14-4 in dual-match action.
• Sven Lah has a team-best six-match singles winning streak and is 22-3 in dual-match play.
• Johannes Schretter and Constantin Frantzen are now 10-2 as a doubles tandem this season.
STAT OF THE MATCH
1,029 – the season-high attendance mark set Friday night against UCLA.
TOP QUOTE #1
Head coach Brian Boland
On the win…
"College tennis is special, and to be able to host a Super Regional against a historic program as UCLA on a Friday night – I'm really appreciative of the Waco community and everyone at Baylor University that came out and supported us: fellow coaches, athletes on other teams and so on. It was an incredible atmosphere and I'm really happy for the players. This is what you play for and they responded, and we get to advance and move on to the Elite Eight so we're excited."
TOP QUOTE #2
Senior Jimmy Bendeck
On the doubles point…
"That's a huge thing. Honestly, I think we have the best doubles lineup in the country and not everyone has a good day. We didn't have that great of a day at 1, but obviously the guys at 3 were holding it down. They do an unbelievable job of being super disciplined in the way they play and No. 2 is always there. They are two of the most trustworthy guys on the team and that's all part of. Sometimes you have to lean on the other two guys, and sometimes they got to lean on us. That's why we're a team."
TOP QUOTE #3
Senior Jimmy Bendeck
On his last match in Waco…
"That's kind of the motto of the day for me and for the rest of the team is to enjoy the moment. We had a lot of fans. A lot of friends came for me and sat on my court, and it's just special. I only got one more (home match), and it's over now and I'm really thankful for everything that's happened. Just grateful that I got the opportunity."
WHAT'S NEXT
Sixth-seeded Baylor will face the winner of No. 3 Florida and No. 14 Tennessee in the NCAA quarterfinals Thursday, May 16 in Orlando, Fla. Match time and ticketing information will be posted on www.BaylorBears.com this weekend.
Baylor Bear Insider
Jimmy Bendeck says the motto for him and the sixth-seeded Baylor men's tennis team is to "enjoy the moment."
Bendeck made it a moment to remember by rallying from a break down and taking the last eight games to clinch the Bears' 4-1 win over 11th-seeded UCLA in Friday's NCAA Super Regional match at the Hurd Tennis Center.
"We had a lot of fans, a lot of friends came for me and sat on my court. It's special," said Bendeck, who defeated the Bruins' Roscoe Bellamy, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, in a crazy back-and-forth battle on Court 6. "I had one more (match) and it's over now. I'm really thankful for everything that happened. I'm just grateful I got the opportunity."
Now, Baylor (25-5) gets the opportunity to advance to the NCAA Championship quarterfinals for the first time in four years and 13thtime overall. The Bears will face either third-seeded Florida or 14th-seeded Tennessee next Thursday at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
"I think we're playing our best tennis right now, and that's what matters," said first-year Baylor head coach Brian Boland, who won four national championships in five years at Virginia before working with the USTA last year. "This team is special, I really believe in them. We're really just getting started, I think, to play our best tennis. And we're looking forward to being in Orlando."
Boland couldn't have dreamed up a better scene for Friday's match. A crowd of more than 1,000 fans packed the stands and the grassy areas on either end of the facility to watch the first Super Regional in a format that changed this year.
UCLA coach Billy Martin, whose team finished 19-6, said it was a "great college match, great atmosphere . . . that's what we want."
Having Baylor coaches and athletes from other sports on hand made it "an incredible atmosphere," Boland said. Among those in the season-high crowd of 1,029 were football head coach Matt Rhule and several of his assistant coaches.
"College tennis is special," he said. "To be able to host a Super Regional against such a storied program as UCLA on Friday night, I'm just really appreciative of the Waco community and everyone at Baylor who came out to support us. I'm really happy for the players. This is what you play for, and they responded. We get to advance and move on to the Elite Eight."
The Bears grabbed the early momentum by taking the doubles point with wins on Courts 2 and 3. Johannes Schretter and Constantin Frantzen jumped out to a 3-0 lead and rolled over Bryce Pereira and Patrick Zahraj at No. 3; and then Will Little and Matias Soto clinched it by beating Govind Nanda and Connor Rapp, 6-4, at No. 2.
"The crazy thing is we had three break chances, and they just kept coming up with the goods," Little said. "I was just like, 'Matias, we're going to break them.' We got that fourth no-ad point, and we got it. Then, we served it out at love. And that set the tone for the match."
Boland said Schretter was the one who set the tone "for everyone on the team but certainly on Court 3" with the energy he brought into the match.
"He was just really clicking and playing well," Boland said of Schretter, who improved to 10-2 at No. 3 doubles with Frantzen. "He's been a great leader for us, particularly the last half of the spring. And it showed tonight."
Riding the momentum of the opening doubles point, Baylor took the first sets on five of the six singles courts to take complete control of the match.
Sophomore Sven Lah was barely pushed ar No. 5, cruising to a 6-2, 6-3 win over Ben Goldberg to put the Bears up 2-0.
"Sven's been kind of that point for us all year long," Boland said of Lah, who improved to a team-best 22-3 in dual matches and 29-8 overall. "If we go down in doubles, he's usually the guy who gets us back on the board. And same thing goes, if we get some momentum, he makes us feel like we still have hit in singles. He's had an amazing year."
Freshman Adrian Boitan, who had clinched the previous four matches, just couldn't wait this time. He did get broken in the second set, but broke right back and made it 3-0 with a 6-2, 6-4 win over 68th-ranked Govind Nanda on Court 3.
"It's exciting to see what he's already been able to do as a freshman," Boland said of Boitan, who improved to 7-0 versus ranked opponents and 16-4 overall in dual matches. "What's even more impressive is how much better we think he can get. He's embraced Baylor and the culture and everything to do with the program. and it shows."
UCLA had battled back to take two matches to three sets and got on the board when 18th-ranked Maxime Cressy knocked off Schretter, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 1. Zahraj trailed Little 4-3 in a second-set tiebreaker after dropping the first set, 6-2, at No. 4, while 36th-ranked Keegan Smith led Soto, 2-6, 6-4, 5-1, at No. 2 when the match ended.
"That's always tough for any team to close it out," UCLA's Martin said. "Sometimes, there's a little moment of doubt, I guess, crossing the finish line."
Bendeck credited volunteer assistant coach Izak van der Merewe for helping him get it turned around after he fell down 2-0 in the third set.
"It was really bumpy for me for a while. I'd lost eight of nine games, and we changed the game plan, locked it down a little bit," Bendeck said. "It was just about focus and believing."
The senior also took a much more aggressive approach in the third set, forcing the action with Bellamy and getting him out of his comfort zone.
"He was standing further back on the serve, and it's just something you do when the guy is retrieving and making more balls," Bendeck said. "It was a good adjustment in the middle of the third that made him play more aggressive."
Boland said Bendeck is a "competitor in everything he does on and off the court."
"I'm really proud of him. He's had an up-and-down career, and for him to accomplish what he has so far and to be able to clinch that match against UCLA and go to the Elite Eight is pretty special. . . . You could tell that (Bendeck and Little) wanted to be out there, and they embraced the environment and the pressure that goes along with it. They've worked for this, and they deserve it. This is a really special group."
THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas – After capturing a close doubles point, six-seeded Baylor men's tennis (25-5) rolled off three singles wins to record a 4-1 victory over No. 11 UCLA (19-6) in the NCAA Super Regional Friday at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco.
BU earned a spot in the NCAA quarterfinals for the 13th time in program history and first since 2015. With the win, the Bears went a perfect 16-0 at home in 2019, marking its ninth perfect season in Waco and first since 2014.
The Bears and Bruins battled it out in doubles action with BU taking a 3-0 lead on court three and UCLA doing the same on court one. Johannes Schretter and Constantin Frantzen won their 10th match of the season together with a 6-3 victory on court three, and then Will Little and Matias Soto clinched the opening point with a 6-4 win on court two.
With the Bears taking five opening sets, No. 76 Sven Lah put the Bears up 2-0 with his 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Ben Goldberg at the No. 5 position. No. 112 Adrian Boitan pushed the lead with a 6-2, 6-4 victory against No. 68 Govind Nanda on court three.
With the Bears up 3-0, UCLA got its lone point with No. 18 Maxime Cressy's 6-4, 6-1 win over No. 20 Johannes Schretter on court one.
With No. 25 Soto deep in the third set and No. 78 Little in a second-set tiebreaker, Jimmy Bendeck closed out the match with an emphatic 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over Roscoe Bellamy on court six.
To keep up with things all season long, follow the team on social media: @BaylorMTennis.
HIGHLIGHTS
• The Bears improve to 59-20 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including 13-5 in the Round of 16.
• The Bears had a season-high 1,029 fans attend Friday's match.
• Baylor advances to the NCAA quarterfinals for the 13th time in 22 NCAA appearances.
• Baylor finishes with a 16-0 home record for its ninth undefeated season at home in program history and first since 2014.
• Baylor outscored opponents 86-10 in Waco this season.
• Baylor is now 32-1 in its last 33 home matches dating back to the 2017 season.
• Baylor improves to 10-6 all-time against UCLA and 3-1 against the Bruins in the NCAA Tournament.
• Baylor is now 31-1 all-time in NCAA matches at home.
• BU improves to 17-5 against ranked opponents this season.
• Baylor is now 22-7 in the doubles point and 21-1 when winning the opening point this season.
• Adrian Boitan improved to 7-0 against ranked foes this season.
• Jimmy Bendeck improves to 14-4 in dual-match action.
• Sven Lah has a team-best six-match singles winning streak and is 22-3 in dual-match play.
• Johannes Schretter and Constantin Frantzen are now 10-2 as a doubles tandem this season.
STAT OF THE MATCH
1,029 – the season-high attendance mark set Friday night against UCLA.
TOP QUOTE #1
Head coach Brian Boland
On the win…
"College tennis is special, and to be able to host a Super Regional against a historic program as UCLA on a Friday night – I'm really appreciative of the Waco community and everyone at Baylor University that came out and supported us: fellow coaches, athletes on other teams and so on. It was an incredible atmosphere and I'm really happy for the players. This is what you play for and they responded, and we get to advance and move on to the Elite Eight so we're excited."
TOP QUOTE #2
Senior Jimmy Bendeck
On the doubles point…
"That's a huge thing. Honestly, I think we have the best doubles lineup in the country and not everyone has a good day. We didn't have that great of a day at 1, but obviously the guys at 3 were holding it down. They do an unbelievable job of being super disciplined in the way they play and No. 2 is always there. They are two of the most trustworthy guys on the team and that's all part of. Sometimes you have to lean on the other two guys, and sometimes they got to lean on us. That's why we're a team."
TOP QUOTE #3
Senior Jimmy Bendeck
On his last match in Waco…
"That's kind of the motto of the day for me and for the rest of the team is to enjoy the moment. We had a lot of fans. A lot of friends came for me and sat on my court, and it's just special. I only got one more (home match), and it's over now and I'm really thankful for everything that's happened. Just grateful that I got the opportunity."
WHAT'S NEXT
Sixth-seeded Baylor will face the winner of No. 3 Florida and No. 14 Tennessee in the NCAA quarterfinals Thursday, May 16 in Orlando, Fla. Match time and ticketing information will be posted on www.BaylorBears.com this weekend.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2
#1 Singles Match
12
Maxime Cressy / 0 (18/-) [UCLA]
66
41
#2 Singles Match
1
Keegan Smith / 0 (36/-) [UCLA]
0
UF
#3 Singles Match
12
Govind Nanda / 0 (68/-) [UCLA]
24
66
#4 Singles Match
1
Patrick Zahraj / 0 [UCLA]
0
UF
#5 Singles Match
12
Ben Goldberg / 0 [UCLA]
23
66
#6 Singles Match
123
Roscoe Bellamy / 0 [UCLA]
262
636
Order of Finish:
5,3,1,6
Players Mentioned
/ 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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