A one-month layoff will come to an end starting today for the
UCLA tennis teams.
After both the men’s and women’s squads closed their
regular seasons with 5-2 victories at home over USC back in April,
they will both finally return to their home courts for regional
matches this weekend.
And they couldn’t be more ready.
“They’re getting the little jitters and the little
butterflies, I would think,” UCLA men’s tennis coach
Billy Martin said of his team.
While there may be some nervous anticipation for the first
round, neither of the Bruins’ opponents are expected to pose
a serious challenge. The men’s team (21-3) has never lost in
the regional rounds, and Manhattan (16-4), its first-round test on
Saturday, has not played a ranked team this season.
“I don’t know anybody on the team, and I know
nothing about the team,” said senior Alberto Francis of the
Manhattan College Jaspers.
Meanwhile, the women’s team has also had smooth sailing
lately in the regionals.
Since falling in the second round to South Alabama in 1999, the
10th-seeded Bruins (15-5) have advanced to the NCAA Championships
each year, and they are expected to do so again this season.
Illinois State (18-7), the Bruins’ first-round opponent,
captured its third consecutive Missouri Valley Conference Title.
However, in the Red Birds’ toughest match of the year,
against neighbor No. 55 Illinois, they were shut out.
The first-round matches, which feature relatively unknown and
unheralded opponents, are a distinct contrast to what the UCLA
teams will probably face should they advance to the second round of
competition.
For both the men and the women, rematches against Pac-10 foes
potentially await. However, the circumstances of each match would
be different.
The women will likely play No. 25 Washington (14-8), who faces
Long Beach State (15-10) in its first-round contest today. While
the Bruins and Huskies have had some close matches in the past, the
outcomes have been largely one-sided in the Bruins’ favor.
UCLA has defeated Washington in the teams’ last three
meetings, with the most recent match a decisive 6-1 win for the
Bruins earlier this season.
The men, on the other hand, could go into a potential
second-round match looking to exact revenge against a conference
opponent. Cal (11-9), who faces San Diego State (17-5) in the first
round on Saturday, defeated the Bruins in the teams’ previous
meeting last month in Berkeley. Because of this earlier loss, both
Martin and his players are eager for a rematch.
“I’m looking forward to playing either of those
teams, but Cal would probably be more fun to play,” Francis
said.
Should both teams win both their matches, they will move on to
the NCAA Championships next weekend in College Station, Texas.
With reports from David Regan, Bruin Sports senior
staff.