After everyone had packed up and headed home after UCLA’s
second round NCAA Tournament win over Pepperdine on Sunday, senior
Tobias Clemens got to do some thinking. Clemens had just played the
final home match of his UCLA career, a match that was suspended
because UCLA clinched the team victory before Clemens was able to
finish. Afterward, he was able to think back over all the other
matches he has played at the Los Angeles Tennis Center in his
illustrious Bruin career, and, frankly, he likes the memories.
“I’m never going to forget it,” Clemens said.
“Four years to play for the team, the school and everybody
who is involved with UCLA tennis. “It’s just such an
honor to be there and to be the No. 1 player for the school.”
Clemens certainly has done his institution proud. With 118 career
singles victories, the Bruin All-American will leave UCLA as the
all-time wins leader. He has also posted more wins at the No. 1
position than any Bruin in history. “There’s a guy
that’s always ready to play for us,” coach Billy Martin
said. “When we need him, he’s there.” The funny
thing, though, is Clemens remembers when he wasn’t there.
He’s lost only four home matches in his collegiate career
““ one per season ““ but he vividly remembers each one.
In his freshman year, he lost to Jeremy Berman of Washington, then
John Paul Fruttero of California in his sophomore campaign,
followed by Virginia’s Doug Stewart last year and Sam Warburg
of Stanford this season. But, win or lose, Clemens feels one of the
things that has made UCLA so special is the tremendous support he
continues to receive. “It’s just an unbelievable
feeling to know that people are behind you and supporting you
regardless of how you play,” he said. “That’s
just a special feeling that you’re probably never going to
have again in your life, that people are standing behind you like
that.” Because the losses have been so rare for the
nationally seventh-ranked player, Clemens has seen his fair share
of incredible victories throughout the years. And, like any great
competitor, he remembers those, too. In this season alone the
three-time All-American has defeated four players ranked in the top
10 nationally. He’s also posted wins in previous seasons
against collegiate tennis greats who since have moved on, including
K.J. Hippensteel and David Martin of Stanford and
Pepperdine’s Al Garland. “I’ve almost beat
everybody,” Clemens said. “I’m pretty happy when
I think about that.”
FEELING OK: The fourth-seeded men’s
tennis team arrived in Tulsa, Okla., Tuesday for the NCAA
Tournament’s Round of 16. But before the Bruins face Texas
A&M Saturday in their first match at the big show, there are
preparations to be made. The team has plans to travel to a local
Tulsa country club to practice today because it cannot practice
officially on the courts at the University of Tulsa until Thursday.
“The most important thing is to acclimate,” junior
Luben Pampoulov said. In this case, acclimating means a couple of
things. UCLA must get used to the heat and humidity of Tulsa, the
subtle differences in the court surface from its home courts and
the time of day in which the team will be competing. Because UCLA
opens play at 6 p.m., Martin says his players will need to spend
some time getting used to their surroundings when the daylight is
fading to twilight and the lights come on. But, after a couple of
days, the Bruin coach says the team will have no problems. In fact,
he says the 6 p.m. time may favor his team because it won’t
have to change sleep habits. “I think it’s a perfect
scenario for us,” Martin said. LAKER FEVER:
In addition to tennis, the team members are also passionate about
their basketball, and the overwhelming team favorite is the Lakers.
(Texas-native Alberto Francis is the lone Spurs fan.) That being
the case, it seems logical someone would draw a comparison between
the two teams. “We are like the Lakers,” junior Kris
Kwinta said. “We have a lot of potential and talent, and we
just have to put it together. Then we are unbeatable.” He may
be on to something. During the middle of the season UCLA was
languishing, losing three straight matches and four of five at one
point. But from the last third of the season onward the Bruins have
reeled off an impressive 11 consecutive victories.
“We’ve gone through some difficult times, but, the
closer it gets to important matches and NCAAs, we come out big as a
team,” Kwinta said. Martin won’t go so far as to make
the same comparison, but he certainly won’t discourage
Kwinta’s motivation. “If that’s a scenario he
wants to use, that’s great,” Martin said. “Just
as long as we’re peaking and playing our best tennis right
now.”