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May 25, 2005
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The 2005 NCAA Singles Championship began Wednesday at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center and two Cavaliers advanced to the second round of the tournament. Somdev Devvarman (Chennai, India) and Rylan Rizza (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) each won opening round matches in straight sets to advance, while Doug Stewart (Malibu, Calif.) fell in three sets in his first round match.
Devvarman advanced to the round of 32 with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Robert Searle of Rice. Devvarman went up a break early in the first set and held that advantage for most of the first set. He was leading 5-3 in the first set when he broke Searle’s serve again to take the set 6-3. Devvarman carried that momentum into the second set as he won the first five games of the second set and cruised to win the set 6-1. The win was Devvarman’s 39th singles win of the season, one shy of Brian Vahaly’s school record of 40 wins in a season, set in 2001 when Vahaly reached the finals of the NCAA Singles Championship.
Rizza advanced to the round of 32 with a 7-6, 6-2 win over Ken Skupski of LSU.Rizza fell behind early, having his serve broken to open the match. Skupski held that one break advantage for most of the first set, but with Skupski serving for first set at 5-4, Rizza broke back to even the match at 5-5. Both players held serve to force a first set tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, Rizza had two set points saved by Skupski before he won his third set point to take the tiebreaker 9-7. Rizza took an early lead in the second set by breaking Skupski in his first two service games of the set and took a 4-0 lead. Rizza then held serve the remainder of the set to win it 6-2.
Stewart fell in the first round 2-6, 6-0, 6-4 to Adil Shamasdin of Brown. Stewart jumped out to an early lead, going up two breaks at 3-0 in the first set. Shamasdin rallied back to 3-2 but Stewart retook control of the set, winning the next three games to take the opening set, 6-2. Shamasdin rebounded in the second set by taking the set 6-0 to force a deciding third set. The third set remained on serve until Shamasdin broke Stewart’s serve to take a 3-1 lead. However, Stewart would break back the following game to get back on serve. With the final set tied at 3-3, Stewart broke Shamasdin again to go up a break, 4-3, but Shamasdin broke back to even the set again. Shamasdin held serve at 4-4 and then broke Stewart again to take the set 6-4.
The NCAA Singles Championship continues Thursday with the second round (round of 32). Devvarman will meet a 9-16 seed, Pierrik Ysern of San Diego, a three-set winner of Raian Luchici of North Carolina in the first round. Rizza will also play a 9-16 seed, Benjamin Kohlloeffel of UCLA, who defeated Tom Eklund of South Carolina in straight sets in his opening round match. The NCAA Doubles Championships begins on Thursday with the first round (round of 32). The Virginia team of Rizza and Nick Meythaler (Owensboro, Ky.) will play third-seeded Benedikt Dorsch and Matija Zgaga of Baylor in the opening round.