When your singles lineup features the two best players in collegiate tennis and your No. 3 starter is a freshman who has defeated top-100 professionals, it is little wonder that you are considered one of the favorites to win the NCAA championship.
So it goes for the UCLA men’s tennis team, which defeated Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo and the University of San Diego this weekend to advance to the NCAA tournament round of 16.
The top-loaded lineup isn’t even UCLA’s biggest strength. It’s the level of talent the Bruins have at the back end of their lineup that has truly bolstered the team’s title challenge. Their lineup, reinforced by senior Adrien Puget’s comeback from a knee injury, is deeper than ever.
“With the return of Adrien, I have the comfort of looking at matchups,” said coach Billy Martin. “I can look at how (the No. 4, 5 and 6 players) match up with other teams’ players, and pick and choose who I play from there.”
It’s that strength at the back end that has powered the Bruins of late. When both senior Clay Thompson and junior Marcos Giron struggled to dispatch their opponents this weekend, victories from redshirt sophomore Karue Sell, freshman Joe DiGiulio and Puget at the bottom of the lineup paved the way for Bruin victories.
This steady performance has been there all year for the Bruins, and has helped to fuel their rise. It’s allowed the team to keep winning even when facing injuries and drops in form. If Thompson, Giron and freshman Mackenzie McDonald don’t beat you, freshman Gage Brymer, DiGiulio or Sell will.
“Being able to do well at five and six is so crucial,” Sell said. “(The) one and two (players) have really tough matches, so this allows them to be a lot more relaxed. It’s just good to have that depth, and right now I feel like the team is really complete.”
Puget’s presence has played a significant role in that. Though the senior is still recovering from his injury, and isn’t playing at 100 percent, he has strengthened the lineup in ways both overt and intangible. He is perhaps the Bruins’ best doubles player and is one of their most consistent singles players. Downplaying concerns about his health, Puget says that he is taking steps and tailoring his strategy to ensure that his condition is not a major issue.
Less quantifiable, but just as important, is the confidence he brings to the team when he plays. With three NCAA tournaments and countless big matches under his belt, Puget is one of the most experienced players on the team. As a captain, his ready presence at the bottom of the singles lineup takes a certain pressure off the shoulders of those playing alongside him.
So as the Bruins travel to Athens, Ga. Monday for the NCAA round of 16, they do so with a tangible confidence. Top to bottom, there are few teams in the nation that can compete with UCLA – and this strength down low bodes well for their prospects looking ahead.