Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams now know exactly what road they’ll have to take in order to advance deep into the NCAA Championships ““ the one tournament that has been in the back of the minds of both Bruin teams.
The men’s team, led by coach Billy Martin, earned the No. 3 overall seed and are in the same bracket as sixth-seeded USC, a team that the Bruins narrowly edged 4-3 two weeks ago to clinch the Pac-10 title.
Similarly, the women’s team, ranked No. 7 overall in the bracket, will also likely have to take on its crosstown rival, which it defeated 5-2 en route the team’s first ever Pac-10 Championship.
MEN’S DRAW: The Bruins (21-1) are looking to make the most of the opportunity at hand. Coming into the season, nobody, not even Martin, expected the team to be in the situation in which they’ve found themselves.
UCLA played all season without Haythem Abid, the player who was expected to play No. 1 singles. In his place, however, Harel Srugo has blossomed as a reliable No. 1 for Martin’s squad.
Though Abid has yet to return, he may find himself competing in the NCAA Championships if need be.
The Bruins host Eastern Washington (18-6) on May 10 in the first round of the tournament. If the Bruins advance to the second round, they will play the winner of the Wisconsin-Washington matchup in the Regional final on May 11.
WOMEN’S DRAW: Injuries have plagued the Bruins (18-5) throughout the season, leaving coach Stella Sampras Webster and her team short of their goal of having an undefeated season. Yet the team has regrouped and put together a nice end-of-the-season run to win the Pac-10 and gain momentum heading into the NCAA Championships.
After last season’s improbable run to the NCAA Championship Final against Georgia Tech, where the Bruins were finally beaten, the team returned all of its players and added freshman Andrea Remynse.
The Bruins will open up play at home against Buffalo, and take on the winner of Long Beach State and Denver in the second round at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
Then UCLA would join the men’s team in a voyage to Tulsa, Okla. for the remainder of the tournament, likely taking on 10th-seeded USC, a team that the Bruins have beaten twice in the course of the regular season, with the most recent victory clinching the conference title.