May 24, 2008

#1 Somdev Devvarman (Virginia)

#1 Somdev Davvarman (Virginia) def. #9 Denes Lukacs (Baylor), 6-0, 6-7 (2), 6-3
About the match...
"I thought he came out a little nervous in the first set and it gave me a quick and easy service game right at the start. I have been serving well this entire week and that really helped my confidence during the early stages of the match. I cruised to a pretty easy first set and I knew the second set was going to be a battle. I had a few really good chances to break early in the second set but he is really tough and played really well. We played a pretty good second set, breaking each other just once. I had my chances to finish the set and I didn't take them and he played well. Going into the third set I knew he was going to be tired and I just took advantage of that. I broke him once and served out the match pretty well."

Do you think about having a long winning streak?
"No, you don't really think about that kind of stuff when you are on the court. You just play and try to have fun. I know this is my last tournament as a college player and more importantly as a Virginia Cavalier. I am going to enjoy it as much as I can and forget about the wins and losses and go out there and try to play my best tennis."

#9-16 Andre Begemann (Pepperdine)

#9-16 Andre Begemann (Pepperdine) def. Justin Kronauge (Ohio St.), 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4
On the match... "Today was actually the first match where I started with the wind in the beginning of the first set. So I got broken a couple times, didn't serve well and it was just hard for me to get into the match. Being a break down and him serving for the match in the second set was a tough one, a heartbreaker. I just remembered Georgia when I went out and clinched the national final two years ago. I had to come up with some shots and make some plays. I made him play and made him really work for that last game and finally I was able to break him."

On coming back in the match...
"I came back. I just tried to be as tough as I could. Make him work for every point. My first break point, I used it and fought back. From that point on, I knew I had a chance if I stayed aggressive. I had the momentum going and I used it to break him in the third set."

#8 Alex Clayton (Stanford)

#8 Alex Clayton (Stanford) def. Bassam Beidas (Pepperdine), 6-2, 6-4
On the match...
"I played him in the fall at the indoor event and I won 2 and 4, but I would say if I hadn't served the ball well I would have lost because I was just hitting the ball in the back. Today, it was the same score. I didn't get broken. I just really focused and when I got on serve I really focused on getting first serves in and try to be aggressive. Make him force a shot or miss. I felt like I hit the ball pretty well today and it went well."

On being a freshman...
"I don't know about the other guys, but I've only been here since this singles tournament so its fresh for me and that might be an advantage over the other guys. Being a freshman, I don't really think makes much of a difference. I've played in some pretty big tournaments before. I'm just going out there and playing my game and I'm not really worried about I'm a freshman or the other guys. I'm just going out and playing my game and seeing what happens."

J.P. Smith (Tennessee)

J.P. Smith (Tennessee) def. Steven Moneke (Ohio State), 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3
On the match...
"Today was really good. I thought I served well throughout the whole match. I came to the net when I needed to. I played aggressively. I knew Steven was a great player from the baseline, and I knew I was going to have to take it to him if I was going to win the match, which I did."

On playing Begemann in the Semifinals...
"It's going to be an interesting matchup tomorrow. I haven't played a serve and volley for quite a long time now. Begemann had a great win today, also playing next to me I saw him battling away over there. It's going to be a good match."

On losing the second set tie break...
"I was a little disappointed. I was up 4-1 in the tiebreak, and then 5-3 serving as well. I didn't play a great point and I let him back in the match with some poor returns. I knew I had to take it back and rethink my strategy and play well in the third set."

Tulsa Men's Tennis

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