The NCAA News - News and Features

June 2, 1997

Stanford rules I men's tennis

UNLV's Smith pulls off rare sweep by winning both the individual singles and doubles crowns

What does it take to win a national championship? According to Stanford men's tennis coach Dick Gould, the key ingredients are luck, health and a winning attitude.

Gould should know. For the third consecutive year and seventh time in the last 10 years, the Cardinal claimed the Division I Men's Tennis Championships team title May 17-25 at UCLA.

Stanford won the team doubles point and Paul Goldstein and Grant Elliott accounted for two of three singles points as the Cardinal shut out Georgia, 4-0, in the team final.

Stanford now has won a championships-record-tying 15 team titles. UCLA and Southern California also have won 15 titles. Since the adoption of the dual-match, single-elimination format in 1977, Stanford has won 13 titles and posted a 65-6 record, including a 5-1 mark vs. Georgia.

Stanford's women's team also claimed a team title this year, marking the fifth time that the Cardinal has swept the tennis championships (see story elsewhere on this page). The sweep gave the Cardinal an NCAA-record six team championships in 1996-97. Stanford also swept the men's and women's volleyball and men's and women's cross country titles.

Luke Smith of UNLV also posted a sweep, defeating George Bastl of Southern California in the singles championship final in individual competition and then teaming with Tim Blenkiron to win the doubles title. Both titles were firsts for UNLV.

Stanford's Gould worried earlier this season whether Stanford would have even a chance to win the team championship.

"Early in the year, after our loss to Kentucky, we were worried about getting into the finals; we weren't worried about a national championship," he said. "To win a national championship, you need a little luck, health and a winning attitude.

"I can't overemphasize the effort and leadership of Grant Elliott and Paul Goldstein."

Georgia, the No. 4 seed, finished as runner-up for the fourth time. The Bulldogs, who ousted No. 1 seed and championships host UCLA in semifinals action, finished the season at 23-4.

"Obviously, our players right now are feeling down. They had a tremendous year. I couldn't be more proud," said Georgia coach Manuel Diaz. "We're going to look back to this year as a tremendous accomplishment. Today, we came up a little bit short."

Elliott secured the Cardinal's 15th title by rallying past Rafael Jordan at No. 6 singles. After dropping the first set, 3-6, Elliott won 12 of the next 19 games to clinch the victory.

"You never know if you are going to get that last point," Elliott said. "I didn't think I'd have the chance to clinch. Up 40-love, I checked with the umpire to make sure the score was correct because I screwed up earlier in the match on the score.

"It was maybe the last competitive tennis I will play; it's a great way to go out."

Doubles pair Goldstein and Ryan Wolters joined the tandem of Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles, respectively, to give Stanford the team doubles point.

Goldstein and Geoff Abrams added victories at Nos. 4 and 5 singles, respectively.

Smith, who became only the third player since 1974 to sweep the individual championships, didn't drop a set in six singles matches. He ousted three seeded players on his way to the title, including No. 6 Cedric Kauffman of Kentucky, and dropped only 40 games in six matches.

Smith and Blenkiron were equally impressive on the doubles side, posting two of their five victories over seeded tandems.

Smith and Blenkiron upset Arkansas' duo of Tim Crichton and Tom Hamilton, the No. 3 seed, in second-round action, and then rallied from a one-set deficit against Harvard's Mitty Arnold and Thomas Blake in semifinals play before stopping Southern California's Bastl and Kyle Spencer, 6-4, 6-4, in the championship final.

DIVISION I MEN'S TENNIS

TEAM RESULTS

First round

UCLA 4, Northwestern 0; Duke 4, LSU 1; Mississippi St. 4, Florida 1; Georgia 4, Fresno St. 0; Stanford 4, Harvard 0; Texas 4, Kentucky 1; Boise St. 4, Auburn 1; Mississippi 4, UC Santa Barb. 0.

Quarterfinals

UCLA 4, Duke 2; Georgia 4, Mississippi St. 2; Stanford 4, Texas 0; Mississippi 4, Boise St. 3

Semifinals

Stanford 4, Mississippi 2; Georgia 4, UCLA 2

Championship

Stanford 4, Georgia 0

Doubles: No. 1--Paul Goldstein-Ryan Wolters, Stanford, def. John Roddick-Kevin Sessions, Georgia, 8-3; No. 2--Bob Bryan-Mike Bryan, Stanford, def. Steven Baldas-Rafael Jordan, Georgia, 8-5; No. 3--Suspended.

Singles: No. 1--Suspended; No. 2--Suspended; No. 3--Suspended; No. 4--Paul Goldstein, Stanford, def. Hisham Hemeda, Stanford, 6-3, 6-4; No. 5--Geoff Abrams, Stanford, def. Kevin Sessions, Georgia, 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-2; No. 6--Grant Elliott, Stanford, def. Rafael Jordan, Georgia, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Singles

First round: Thomas Dupre, Mississippi St., def. Benjamin Cassaigne, Georgia Tech, 7-6 (7), 6-3; Ivan Rodrigo, Miami (Fla.), def. Paul Goldstein, Stanford, 6-3, 0-6, 6-1; Paul Martin, Texas, def. Eddie Jacques, Georgia, 6-4, 6-1; Pedro Escudero, LSU, def. Alex Witt, Northwestern, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1; Cedric Kauffman, Kentucky, def. Robert Novotny, Drake, 7-6 (4), 6-2; Luke Smith, UNLV, def. Oliver Mayo, Virginia Tech, 6-4, 6-1; Anthony DeLuise, Middle Tenn. St., def. Mitch Sprengelmeyer, Clemson, 6-3, 7-6 (3); Kevin Kim, UCLA, def. Alberto Brause, Duke, 6-4, 6-0.

Eric Taino, UCLA, def. John James, South Ala., 3-6, 6-1, 6-3; Fredrik Giers, Fresno St., def. Jon Glover, Florida, 6-3, 7-5; Olivier Tauma, Va. Commonwealth, def. Patrick Gottesleben, Southern Cal, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4; Tripp Phillips, North Caro., def. Francisco Rodriguez, Alabama, 7-6 (2), 6-2; Gavin Sontag, Illinois, def. Johan Hede, Mississippi, 6-3, 6-4; Christian Svensson, Utah, def. Jerome Jourdon, South Caro., 6-1, 6-4; Bob Bryan, Stanford, def. Christian Jaeger, Texas-Arlington, 6-1, 6-0; Boris Bosnjakovic, Brigham Young, def. Enrique Abaroa, Kansas, 6-4, 6-2.

Michael Carter, Penn St., def. Ernesto Diaz, Boise St., 6-4, 6-3; Xavier Avila, Kansas, def. Justin O'Neal, Florida, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Ryan Sachire, Notre Dame, def. Daniel Anderson, Va. Commonwealth, 6-1, 6-4; Ryan Wolters, Stanford, def. Ashley Fisher, Texas Christian, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2; Ludde Sundin, Kentucky, def. Matt Breen, UCLA, 6-2, 1-6, 6-1; Sebastien DeChaunac, Mississippi, def. Rafael Fontes, Southwestern La., 6-4, 6-3; Keith Brill, South Caro., def. Krunch Kloberdanz, Vanderbilt, 6-3, 6-3; Simon Larose, Mississippi St., def. Mike Russell, Miami (Fla.), 6-7 (11), 6-4, 6-3.

Richard Wernerhjelm, Va. Commonwealth, def. Thomas Blake, Harvard, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3; George Bastl, Southern Cal, def. Doug Root, Duke, 6-3, 6-2; Matthieu Ballay, Mississippi St., def. Alex Decret, UCLA, 7-6 (7), 6-3; Ignacio Hirogoyen, Southern Methodist, def. John Roddick, Georgia, 7-6 (4), 6-3; Simon Aspelin, Pepperdine, def. Michal Chmela, LSU, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5); Johan Landsberg, Mississippi, def. Nenad Toroman, Tulsa, 6-2, 6-1; Pavel Kudrnac, Oklahoma St., def. Lee Pearson, Auburn, 7-6 (3), 6-3; Fredric Niemeyer, Middle Tenn. St., def. Cary Franklin, Illinois, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.

Second round: Rodrigo, Miami (Fla.), def. Dupre, Mississippi St., 6-4, 6-0; Martin, Texas, def. Escudero, LSU, 7-5, 6-3; Smith, UNLV, def. Kauffman, Kentucky, 6-3, 6-3; Kim, UCLA, def. DeLuise, Middle Tenn. St., 6-3, 7-5; Taino, UCLA, def. Giers, Fresno St., 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 (2); Tauma, Va. Commonwealth, def. Phillips, North Caro., 7-6 (4), 6-3; Svensson, Utah, def. Sontag, Illinois, 6-3, 6-1; Bryan, Stanford, def. Bosnjakovic, Brigham Young, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-1.

Avila, Kansas, def. Carter, Penn St., 6-2, 6-2; Wolters, Stanford, def. Sachire, Notre Dame, 6-2, 6-2; DeChaunac, Mississippi, def. Sundin, Kentucky, 6-0, 6-3; Larose, Mississippi St., def. Brill, South Caro., 6-7 (1), 6-3, 7-6 (4); Bastl, Southern Cal, def. Wernerhjelm, Va. Commonwealth, 6-3, 6-1; Ballay, Mississippi St., def. Hirogoyen, Southern Methodist, 6-4, 6-3; Landsberg, Mississippi, def. Aspelin, Pepperdine, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2; Niemeyer, Middle Tenn. St., def. Kudrnac, Oklahoma St., 6-3, 6-4.

Third round: Rodrigo, Miami (Fla.), def. Martin, Texas, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; Smith, UNLV, def. Kim, UCLA, 6-2, 6-4; Tauma, Va. Commonwealth, def. Taino, UCLA, 6-4, 6-0; Svensson, Utah, def. B. Bryan, Stanford, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Wolters, Stanford, def. Avila, Kansas, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1; DeChaunac, Mississippi, def. Larose, Mississippi St., 6-3, 6-2; Bastl, Southern Cal, def. Ballay, Mississippi St., 6-0, 6-1; Niemeyer, Middle Tenn. St., def. Landsberg, Mississippi, 6-3, 7-5.

Quarterfinals: Smith, UNLV, def. Rodrigo, Miami (Fla.), 6-3, 6-4; Tauma, Va. Commonwealth, def. Svensson, Utah, 7-6 (1), 6-2; DeChaunac, Mississippi, def. Wolters, Stanford, 7-6 (4), 6-0; Bastl, Southern Cal, def. Niemeyer, Middle Tenn. St., 6-1, 7-6 (3).

Semifinals: Smith, UNLV, def. Tauma, Va. Commonwealth, 6-3, 7-6 (4); Bastl, Southern Cal, def. DeChaunac, Mississippi, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Championship: Smith, UNLV, def. Bastl, Southern Cal, 6-4, 6-3.

Doubles

First round: Ed Carter-Sergio Elias, Arizona St., def. Kelly Gullet-Robert Lindsedt, Fresno St., 6-3, 6-4; Mitty Arnold-Thomas Blake, Harvard, def. Anthony DeLuise-Fredric Niemeyer, Middle Tenn. St., 6-4, 7-6 (1); John Roddick-Kevin Sessions, Georgia, def. Kevin Kim-Eric Lin, UCLA, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4; Paul Goldstein-Ryan Wolters, Stanford, def. Martin Dvorcek-Pavel Kudrnac, Oklahoma St., 6-7 (7), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3).

Tim Crichton-Tom Hamilton, Arkansas, def. Brian Patterson-Jakub Pietrowski, Notre Dame, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4; Tim Blenkiron-Luke Smith, UNLV, def. Chris James-Derek Myers, Purdue, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3; Nick Crowell-Paul Martin, Texas, def. Doug Root-Jordan Wile, Duke, 6-1, 7-5; Ernesto Diaz-Albi Polonyi, Boise St., def. Chris Santoso-David Sutton, California, 6-3, 6-4.

Hisham Hememda-Eddie Jacques, Georgia, def. Bruce Li-Mitch Sprengelmeyer, Clemson, 6-1, 6-4; George Bastl-Kyle Spencer, Southern Cal, def. David McNamara-Julius Roberts, Middle Tenn. St., 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4); Bob Bryan-Mike Bryan, Stanford, def. Michal Chmela-Tom Hand, LSU, 7-5, 6-2; Simon Larose-Matt Pledger, Mississippi St., def. Enrique Abaroa-Xavier Avila, Kansas, 6-4, 6-4.

John James-Claes Westlin, South Ala., def. Troy Budgen-Brad Sceney, Pepperdine, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3); Adham Alaily-Lee Pearson, Auburn, def. Oliver Mayo-Marek Pfeil, Virginia Tech, 6-4, 6-3; Steven Baldas-Rafael Jordan, Georgia, def. Alex Decret-Eric Taino, UCLA, 6-4, 6-4; Johan Landsberg-Martin Sjoqvist, Mississippi, def. Jason Weir-Smith-Ashley Fisher, Texas Christian, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 7-5.

Second round: Arnold-Blake, Harvard, def. Carter-Elias, Arizona St., 6-4, 6-2; Goldstein-Wolters, Stanford, def. Roddick-Sessions, Georgia, 6-4, 6-2; Blenkiron-Smith, UNLV, def. Crichton-Hamilton, Arkansas, 6-1, 6-3; Crowell-Martin, Texas, def. Diaz-Polonyi, Boise St., 7-5, 7-5.

Bastl-Spencer, Southern Cal, def. Hemeda-Jacques, Georgia, 7-5, 6-3; B. Bryan-M. Bryan, Stanford, def. Larose-Pledger, Mississippi St., 6-4, 6-4; Alaily-Pearson, Auburn, def. James-Westlin, South Ala., 6-3, 7-5; Baldas-Jordan, Georgia, vs. Landsburg-Sjoqvist, Mississippi, 7-6 (1), 6-7 (5), 6-2.

Quarterfinals: Arnold-Blake, Harvard, def. Goldstein-Wolters, Stanford, 7-6 (1), 6-4); Blenkiron-Smith, UNLV, def. Crowell-Martin, Texas, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1); Bastl-Spencer, Southern Cal, def. B. Bryan-M. Bryan, Stanford 6-3, 7-6 (2); Baldas-Jordan, Georgia, def. Alaily-Pearson, Auburn, 7-5, 6-3.

Semifinals: Blenkiron-Smith, UNLV, def. Arnold-Blake, Harvard, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; Bastl-Spencer, Southern Cal, def. Baldas-Jordan, Georgia ,6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-5.

Championship: Blenkiron-Smith, UNLV, def. Bastl-Spencer, Southern Cal, 6-4, 6-4.