ORLANDO, Fla. – Four members of the Virginia men’s tennis team are competing in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships, being held Nov. 18-23 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
Junior Dylan Dietrich and sophomore Keegan Rice have both won their first two matches and have advanced to the Round of 16 of the singles draw.
Dietrich, the No. 7 seed in the draw, won his opener against Luis Carlos Alvarez Valdes of Oklahoma in straight sets. On Wednesday, he won 6-4, 6-4 against Bryan Hernandez Cortes of Mississippi State.
In his opener, Rice dropped his first set 6-4 against Oscar Lacides of Oklahoma, but rallied for 6-3 and 6-4 wins in the second and third sets to advance to the Round of 32. Rice then defeated the tournament’s No. 1 seed, Jay Friend of Arizona, 7-6 (4), 6-4 on Thursday to advance to the Round of 16.
By advancing to the Round of 16, both players will earn All-American honors in singles in June when the accolades are formally announced by the ITA. It will be Dietrich’s third time earning All-America honors and the first for Rice.
Sophomore Jangjun Kim also played in the singles draw, bring edged in the first round by 8-seed Ozan Baris.
Dietrich and senior Mans Dahlberg begin play in the 32-team doubles draw on Wednesday.
SCHEDULE
Singles
R64: #98 Keegan Rice (VA) def. #50 Oscar Lacides (OK) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
R32: #98 Keegan Rice (VA) def. [1] #5 Jay Friend (AZ) 7-6 (4), 6-4
R16: #98 Keegan Rice (VA) vs [9-16] #31 Petar Jovanovic (Miss St), Thursday
R64: [7] #9 Dylan Dietrich (VA) def. #78 Luis Carlos Alvarez Valdes (OK) 6-4, 6-3
R32: [7] #9 Dylan Dietrich (VA) def. Bryan Hernandez Cortes (Miss St), 6-4, 6-4
R16: [7] #9 Dylan Dietrich (VA) vs. #92 Luca Pow (Wake), Thursday
R64: [8] #7 Ozan Baris (Mich St) def. Jangjun Kim (VA) 6-2, 7-6 (4)
Doubles
R32: #18 Mans Dahlberg/Dylan Dietrich (VA) vs #38 Johan Alexander Rodriguez/Orel Kimhi (OK), Wednesday 4:30 pm
