The UCLA men’s tennis team picked a good time for two of
its players to turn in their best matches of the season.
With the squad’s Pac-10 opener against crosstown rival USC
looming Friday, juniors Chris Lam and Kris Kwinta played dominating
tennis in the No. 6 Bruins’ 7-0 win over No. 24 Clemson on
Tuesday at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
“I’ve struggled a lot so far this season,” Lam
said. “But I found my rhythm today.”
The UCLA (3-0) team captain found his rhythm to the tune of a
6-2, 6-1 drubbing of Clemson’s (3-1) Jarmaine Jenkins on
court No. 2. He was the first Bruin to finish in singles.
“I was happy with how the team played today,” Lam
said. “We got four points really decisively. We just took
care of business today.”
Kwinta, a transfer from Tennessee, was quite satisfied with his
performance as well, a 6-3, 6-3 win over John Boetsch at No. 4
singles.
“I was mentally tough today,” Kwinta said. “I
came to the courts positive and pumped up.”
Aside from Kwinta and Lam, Bruin senior Tobias Clemens also
turned in a solid match, breaking Clemson junior Nathan Thompson
three times en route to a 6-3, 6-3 victory.
Though Clemens is still recovering from a sickness he’s
had since Saturday, his performance was good enough to earn him his
19th consecutive singles win.
“Up and down the line we were solid mentally,” coach
Billy Martin said.
Philipp Gruendler came back to post a 4-6, 6-3, (10-4) victory
over Clement Reix on court No. 5, while Alberto Francis hung on for
a 6-3, 5-7, (11-9) win over Goran Sterijovski at No. 3, and Aaron
Yovan was solid on court No. 6 with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Brett
Twente.
Martin was pleased with his team’s mental performance
because it is the aspect of the game that difficult to master.
Just ask Kwinta.
“I’m the only one who can beat me,” he said.
“If the mental part of my game isn’t working, I just
lose.”
Though Kwinta hasn’t lost in the team’s three dual
matches this season, he was much happier with today’s showing
than his 6-2, 5-7, (10-8) struggle against Fresno State’s
Stefan Suta last Thursday.
But it was probably Lam that showed the most promise
Tuesday.
After spending most of last season at the No. 4 position, he has
been expected to step up and fill the void left by the graduation
and departure of four starters from last year’s semifinal
squad.
Though the Honolulu native is ranked No. 18 in the country, he
had been less than pleased with his play so far this season.
After Tuesday’s performance, Lam is hoping he has turned
the corner.
“I took care of business,” he said. “I have to
get used to doing that more often. I can’t come out and kill
myself every match.”