May 22, 2008

Arnau Brugues (Tulsa)

Arnau Brugues (Tulsa) def. #5 Daniel Vallverdu (Miami), 6-4, 6-4
On his match today... "Today was a long match. I couldn't keep it quick like yesterday, but I played great. It was a really, really good match. He is a great player, No. 5 in the nation, and I played great. I can't play any better than that."

On the home-court advantage...
"I am use to the wind. I kind of know what direction it is blowing. I am use to it and I think that gives me an advantage."

On the key to winning...
"I try to play as deep as possible, make every single ball, every single shot, run side-to-side and keep the ball deep. That is the key."

On getting frustrated, and overcoming that...
"Today my serve wasn't working, with the wind blowing I couldn't make a serve. I got frustrated. It is really difficult. The people in the stands helped me a lot because they were behind me the whole time. It will make you want it more than usual."

On the fan support...
"It means a lot. I really love it. Everyone is excited, and you can't get better than that."

On the first match being tougher than today...
"The first one is tough. No one wants to lose in the first round, and after that you just want to play and try to have fun."

On playing Daniel...
"We are really good friends. It is hard to play against somebody that you know really well off the court. You need to try to forget about it and play your game."

On winning both matches in straight sets, and what that means...
"You are more rested, and that is an advantage. People that go into three sets or long matches are going to feel it tomorrow. Today's match was long, more than two hours, but at this point everyone plays well and everyone is fit. It can make a difference, but it is not that noticeable."

On the heat...
"It was really, really hot today. You can feel it out there. It isn't fun. After the first set, I was exhausted, but he was the same way, so I kept playing as good as I could."

#1 Somdev Devvarman (Virginia)

#1 Somdev Devvarman (Virginia) def. Clancy Shields (Boise State) 6-4, 7-5
On the match . . . "I thought I played okay. Clancy (Shields) came out and I didn't expect him to play as well as he did. He stuck to me from the very beginning, give full credit to him for playing a great match. I feel like I stepped up at some very key times. I served really well today, and I think that was a key for me to win. I found a way to hold serve the entire match, and get broken. I faced only two break points, and I broke him twice. So I played the big points pretty well on his serve on two games, and that pretty much decided the match. I made him work really hard in the service game and that was key.

Did you think you were playing a linebacker?
"He's a big guy, and hits the ball big. He's pretty strong and he definitely moves well for his size too. I didn't think I was playing a linebacker, but I was definitely playing a pretty strong kid out there."

Coming in ranked as the No. 1 singles player and No. 1 doubles team do you have any added pressure coming into the national championship... "Not the way I look at it. I look at is as one match at a time. I forget the numbers, the seedings and the rankings. I just try to take one match at a time and see who I have in front of me and see who Trent (Huey) and I have in doubles, and just take it from there. We try to take one match at a time. Who's ever on the other side we try to get a good scouting report, and just basically try to get through one match."

#3 Oleksandr Nedovyesov (Oklahoma State)

Oleksandr Nedovyesov (Oklahoma State) def. Brett Helgeson (Notre Dame), 6-3, 6-2
Did you call someone after the match? "I just called my buddy Igor Sobolta. He is No. 6 on our team. I just asked him about a class we are taking together this summer, statistics, and I asked him what we made on the second exam."

Talk about the match...
"I didn't start well because I expected his backhand to be his weak side. I started playing his backhand, but he is very good and then coach (James Wadley) advised me to hit his forehand as much as I can. I started to hit it and it works. I served really, really well today. My serve is very good, it helps me a lot. I was leading 4-3 and then I just got more confident with my game all the time. It was a very good game. I feel like I am playing in Stillwater, Okla. It is windy and kind of hot, so it like home, so its good."

#4 Travis Helgeson (Georgia)

#4 Travis Helgeson (Georgia) def. Kaden Hensel (Tennessee), 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5
On the match...
"It was tough conditions, especially going from the team tournament with no wind to now with it being pretty windy in the last two matches. That guy (Kaden Hensel) played well in the wind. To bad I was unable to finish it out in the second-set, but he played well and I really had to fight in that third (set)."

Talk about playing in the same tournament with your younger brother, Brett?
"Its great! I think this is the first time he has played in the singles (tournament) and he had a tough match against the No. 3 seed (Oleksandr Nedovyesov). It has been great for him to play here and have this experience and for my last year to be able to see him in the tournament. It feels good."

With your family being here and your success at this facility, do you think you are playing better?
"I think so. I am just trying to get my body and mind rested as much as I can, and go out there and give it all I have during the match."

Tulsa Men's Tennis

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