Virginia's Vahaly Wins Singles And Doubles Titles At ITA National Summer Tennis Championships
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Aug. 13, 2000
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – University of Virginia rising fourth-year All-American tennis player Brian Vahaly (Atlanta, Ga./The Lovett School) won the singles and doubles titles today (August 13) at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Summer Championships, presented by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), at The College of William & Mary. Vahaly has earned wild card bids into the August 22-26 U.S. Open qualifying tournaments by virtue of his titles.
Vahaly, the top-seed in the men’s singles tournament, defeated K.J. Hippensteel of Stanford 7-5, 6-3. He did not lose a single set in four matches during the tournament. Vahaly then teamed with Arizona State’s Ed Carter to defeat Yale’s Steve Berke and John Paul Fruttero of California 6-3, 7-5 for the doubles title. Vahaly becomes the second men’s player to sweep the singles and doubles titles at the ITA National Summer Championships, joining Southern California’s Adam Peterson who swept the 1996 titles in Princeton, N.J.
Vahaly, a two-time ITA All-American who finished fifth in last season’s WingspanBank.com national singles rankings, became the second straight Cavalier to win the ITA National Summer Championships. Current teammate and doubles partner Huntley Montgomery won the 1999 title.
“It’s a huge accomplishment to get to the U.S. Open,” said Vahaly, who improves to 2-2 all-time against Hippensteel. “It was so exciting to be there at the junior tournament (in `96-97) and to go there again and play against guys who make their living doing this is definitely a big thrill for me.”
After receiving an opening round bye, Vahaly defeated Yale’s Steve Berke 6-4, 5-5 retired in the second round on August 9. In the third round on August 10, Vahaly posted a 6-3, 6-0 triumph over West Virginia’s Kent James. Vahaly moved into the semifinals with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Cody Hubbell of Texas A&M in the quarterfinals on August 11. Vahaly, the 2000 ACC Player of the Year, advanced to the final by defeating sixth-seeded John Paul Fruttero of California, 6-1, 6-2 in Saturday’s semifinal.
Vahaly finished the 1999-2000 collegiate season with a 35-5 singles record with his 35 wins setting a school record for singles victories in a season. He advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, before falling to Stanford’s Alex Kim. Vahaly was ranked fifth in the final WingspanBank.com singles rankings and was as high as third during the year. In doubles play, Vahaly and Montgomery were 18-9 and lost in the first round of the NCAA Doubles Championship to second-seeded Geoff Abrams and Alex Kim of Stanford. The Cavalier duo was ranked 31st in the final WingspanBank.com doubles poll.
The ITA National Summer Championships, presented by the USTA, is the pinnacle of the ITA Collegiate Summer Circuit and is sanctioned by the USTA as the U.S. National Amateur Tennis Championships. In addition to wild cards into U.S. Open qualifying tournaments, the men’s and women’s singles and doubles champions from this tournament also earn USTA gold balls and wild card berths into the September 21-24 T. Rowe Price National Clay Court Championships, the opening leg of the 2000-01 ITA Collegiate Grand Slam (if eligible).