SIMULTANEOUS CLINCHERS PUT USC IN NCAA FINAL AGAINST RODDICK’S OKLAHOMA BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 20th May 2014

SIMULTANEOUS CLINCHERS PUT USC IN NCAA FINAL AGAINST RODDICK'S OKLAHOMA BY RICKY DIMON

epa04210873 Canadian tennis player Milos Raonic returns the ball to Novak Djokovic of Serbia, during their semi final match for the Italian Open tennis tournament at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, 17 May 2014. EPA/MAURIZIO BRAMBATTI |

Traditional powerhouse Southern California and an Oklahoma squad coached by John Roddick will battle for the NCAA men’s tennis championship on Tuesday in Athens, Ga. after a thrilling night of action on Monday.

USC, a four-time title winner from 2009 to 2012 with current ATP world No. 67 Steve Johnson leading the way, capped things off with a 5-1 victory over defending champion Virginia. The top-ranked Trojans took the doubles point and eventually led 3-1 following the first three completed singles matches. The remaining three all went to third sets, with the Cavaliers needing to sweep. That set the stage for a memorable finish.

On bookend courts at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, Yannick Hanfmann at No. 1 and Michael Grant at No. 6 held match points at the same time to clinch victory for Southern Cal. Grant had already missed one match point against J.C. Aragone and those two were contesting extremely long baseline rallies, so Hanfmann caught up serving at 5-3 and ending points quickly against Alex Domijan. At 40-15, Hanfmann hit an ace off the net cord to win his match 4-6, 7-6(10), 6-4 and send USC to the final. Seconds later, Grant prevailed 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. The Trojan squad was watching Grant since he had seemed closer to victory the entire way, so the mob scene took place on Court 6 even though the actual clincher came at Court 1.

Next up for the Trojans is Oklahoma, which got past UCLA in even more dramatic fashion. With three remaining matches also in third sets, the Sooners held a 3-2 advantage on the overall scoreboard. No. 1 And No. 6–yes, once again the bookend courts–both went to third-set tiebreakers and OU won both to finish the job. Alex Ghilea beat Karue Sell 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(5) at the sixth line before Guillermo Alcorta outlasted Clay Thompson 0-6, 6-2, 7-6(5).

Thus the story is written: Oklahoma head coach and former University of Georgia star John Roddick returns to Athens and attempts to lead his Sooners to their first-ever national championship in men’s tennis. Roddick, whose assistant Bo Hodge also played for the Bulldogs, is the older brother of former world No. 1 and 2003 U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick. Andy attended Monday’s match and is expected to be on hand for the championship.

“He called me last night and said am I going to be a distraction if I come,” John said of his brother, prior to the semifinals. “I said, ‘No, the guys are used to you for the most part, so come on.’ The guys love having him here to cheer on. He’s a guy who would have loved to have played college tennis and he knows that and says that all the time. It wasn’t in his cards, probably.”

What is in the cards is a blockbuster showdown between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation, with everything at stake.

Topics: Andy Roddick, Atp, John Roddick, Ncaa, Ricky Dimon, sports news, Steve Johnson, Tennis, USC

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10sBalls_com says:

May 20, 2014 at 8:16 am

SIMULTANEOUS CLINCHERS PUT USC IN NCAA FINAL AGAINST RODDICK’S OKLAHOMA BY RICKY DIMON (@RD_Tennistalk) – http://t.co/bupqEE196H #tennis
RD_Tennistalk says:

May 20, 2014 at 8:20 am

RT @10sBalls_com: SIMULTANEOUS CLINCHERS PUT USC IN NCAA FINAL AGAINST RODDICK’S OKLAHOMA BY RICKY DIMON (@RD_Tennistalk) – http://t.co/bu…