May 21, 2008

Arnau Brugues (Tulsa)

Arnau Brugues (Tulsa) def. Michael Venus (LSU), 6-3, 6-2
Talk about your match getting out to a quick start...
"It was a quick match, but it wasn't easy. He's a guy who hits the ball really hard, and it was difficult to keep the ball in play, but I think I did a good job. The first match is always the difficult one, because your nervous and you can feel the pressure."

Was it good to get back on the tennis court after a two-week layoff?
"Yes. I love to play tennis. I don't like to practice. Always when you play a match you are excited. I like to play tournaments, and the national championship is always special."

Talk about what it's like to play on your home courts...
"I think it's great to play in front of your friends and all the home crowd that has been with us for a long time. It's great and I really enjoy it."

How much of an advantage is it to play on your home court?
It's an advantage because I'm used to the Tulsa wind, and all the courts. Here it's pretty windy, and I think I have an advantage."

How important was it to get that first win quickly, and not having to go a long match and get worn down for the rest of the tournament?
"The quicker the better. I'll be better rested and get ready for tomorrow. I just want to go match-by-match, and not worry about going to the championship. I'm just worried about playing the second round, and we'll see what happens."

#1 Somdev Devarrman (Virginia)

#1 Somdev Devarrman (Virginia) def. Ryan Preston (Vanderbilt), 6-1, 6-3
About the match...
"I felt like he was a little uncomfortable at the start of the match and I was pretty confident with the way that I've been playing. I got off to a good start and I held serve early and broke right away and kept that momentum going into the fourth set. At the start of the second he definitely started playing a lot better, he was a lot more confident and started hitting the ball a lot better and was definitely serving a lot better and until three all in the second set it was definitely a battle. He had a few break points on me and I think I strung together a two good points at three all and I cruised from there."

Do you think you have a target on your back being the defending champion?
"I'm not sure, you would have to ask the other guys if they see me as a target, but as far as I'm concerned I'm just playing one match at a time and I'm not really sure who I am playing next. As soon as my coach gets a scouting report, I am just going to take one (match) at a time. I hope to stay solid as the tournament goes on."

#2 Greg Ouellette (Florida)

Kaes Van't Hof (USC) def. #2 Greg Ouellette (Florida), 6-4, 6-2
On the match...
"He came out firing. I knew from the summer that he had a lot of firepower. I felt like I was ready to play, but maybe a little too ready to play. Maybe I put too much pressure on myself, let the occasion get to me too much. I'm glad that I put too much pressure on myself and not any pressure at all. It feels better that I cared more than not caring at all in losing."

On the pressure of being a seeded player...
"Being seeded two, is a little more pressure. Just the fact that it was the NCAA's and it was my last tournament as a senior. You can't take anything away from him, he played a great match. I knew from the start that he was a good player. He'd won like 16 matches in a row just recently. He's a good player, but I definitely could have played better, but you can't take anything away."

On his opponent...
"He served well, he's got a big game and he's good on both sides. He just kept me under pressure the whole time and I was flat footed. He didn't give me a lot of time to get in a rhythm because he was going for shots the whole time. That really worked to his advantage."

Kaes Van't Hof (USC)

Kaes Van't Hof (USC) def. (2) Greg Ouellette (Florida), 6-4, 6-2
Kaes talk about that match, that's a huge win...
"Yea, I went out there playing loose. When you are playing the No. 2 seed you have nothing to lose. I went out there going for my shots. It is a lot different from the duel match atmosphere. In the end, you have to play like you practice and that's what I did today. Instead of pushing the ball around, I really tried to hurt the guy (Greg Ouellette) with the first shots, serves and returns. I got lucky, got a couple of breaks and I happened to serve well at the right time, so it helped me out."

Did you play most loose because this could be your final singles match?
"No, I actually got a little advice from my dad (Robert Van't Hof). He told me to play more like a pro, because I am going to go play pro tennis. He told me to play like a pro, meaning those pros don't think about missing, they think about the positive, they think about winning, they think about making those shots and doing the right things. That is kind of what I thought about out there and it tended to work out most of the time."

Talk about doubles with partner Robert Farah?
"We have a tough first round match (against Texas' Ed Corrie/Kellen Damico). We played the team twice already. They were ahead of us once and we beat them once. Anything can happen in two of three sets doubles. All of these guys have such good serves, really anything can happen, but Rob and I have been playing well and we feel good going into tomorrow."

#3 Oleksandr Nedovysev (Oklahoma State)

#3 Oleksandr Nedovysev (Oklahoma State) def. Luis Flores (Georgia), 6-2, 6-2
Give us your thoughts on the match...
"Before the match, I knew it was going to be a very tough match, but I also knew that Luis played yesterday a really tough match against Texas, and so maybe that he was tired or maybe even in injured. I was pretty confident in the beginning of the match, then I broke his serve the first game, and my confidence got bigger and bigger and I played better and better, and won the first set. In the second set I felt so much better than the first. I was pretty happy with this win, and will just prepare for the next match."

#4 Seed Travis Helgeson (Georgia)

Travis Helgeson (Georgia) def. Moritz Baumann (Wisconsin), 6-4, 6-3
On excitement of the previous night and playing today...
"I think that is one of the toughest parts, having such a big high last night after winning such a tough match, it was really emotional. I then had to get up today and re-focus on the singles tournament."

About the match today...
"It was nice. I didn't have to be out there too long and I didn't spend too much energy. I was able to get the job done in straight sets. I think that was the biggest thing, just getting my body loose and not having to spend too much energy than needed. I felt like I played well and I just tried to keep my game momentum from last night to today and I have a tough match tomorrow."

#5 Seed Daniel Vallverdu (Miami (FL)) Daniel Vallverdu (Miami (FL)) def. Conor Pollock (Texas A&M), 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
Your opponent in the next round said the first round is always the hardest, what is your thought on that...
"I feel the exact same way, especially after not playing for 10 days. It was tough to get a rhythm at the beginning; the court is kind of tricky. As the match went through, I started feeling a lot better. It is always, always great to win in the first round. It`s always good when you finish the match playing well, it doesn't matter how you start playing, it's how you finish, because that's how you are going to feel to start your next match. I felt great at the end of the match, it took me a while to get into rhythm, but I am just happy that I got through and looking forward to the next round."

What do you know about your next opponent, Arnau Brugues?
"We are actually very good friends. I lived in Spain for three or four years, so I know him from when we were 15-16 years old. We know each others games, so I am sure it is going to be a fun match to watch."

Tulsa Men's Tennis

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