Life goes on.
At least that’s what UCLA junior Marcin Matkowski
says.
Matkowski is considering leaving the Bruins next year to pursue
a professional tennis career.
This comes after he lost a three set marathon match to
Vanderbilt’s Chad Harris, 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4, in Monday’s
NCAA semifinals, a match that effectively sealed UCLA’s fate
as the 4-3 losers.
But the real contemplation will begin when his season officially
ends.
“I haven’t really thought about it yet,” he
said. “When I finish, I’ll try to think about my
options.”
After Matkowski finishes playing in the NCAA singles
championships this week, he will meet with head coach Billy Martin
to discuss next year.
“I really haven’t wanted to sit down and talk to him
about it,” Martin said. “Quite honestly, it’s not
the time yet. I’m going to put it on the back burner until
his season is over.”
Matkowski’s options include turning pro, which would give
him the opportunity to pursue an appearance in the Olympics with
his native Poland, or returning to the Bruins.
“I do want to come back and try to win a
championship,” he said, “but I don’t know if that
would work.”
As things stand, Matkowski places the likelihood of leaving the
Bruins at 60 percent.
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While he is still a Bruin, Matkowski is trying to respond to
Monday’s collapse. He appeared to be on his way Wednesday, as
he began play in the NCAA singles championships with a 6-2, 6-3
victory over Robert Searle of Rice.
There were fears about Matkowski’s ability to respond
after blowing a double match point on Monday.
“Quite honestly, I was worried whether he’d be able
to come back mentally,” Martin said.
“I was trying not to think about it, but it was obviously
in the back of my head,” Matkowski said.
In any event, he played solid tennis and appears to have put
Monday’s loss behind him.
“I played okay and won convincingly,” he said.
“I’m quite happy with my performance.”
The other two Bruins competing in the singles tournament had
less- than-stellar results.
Sophomore Chris Lam lost to Columbia’s Oscar Chow, 6-3,
6-2, while junior Tobias Clemens was upset by Georgia’s Nic
Boeker, 7-5, 6-4.
“Lam just played lousy,” Martin said.
And Clemens, the player who has been so solid for the Bruins all
year, just couldn’t get it going.
“Toby had a tremendous motivational problem,” Martin
said. “He was emotionally drained. He just couldn’t get
himself fired up to compete at a high level.”
Matkowski is now the only Bruin remaining in the tournament. He
faces Washington’s Alex Vlaski in the second round today at
11:30 a.m. EST. Matkowski has already defeated Vlaski twice this
year.