The Arizona men’s tennis team was well represented in the doubles rounds of the Pacific 10 Championships in Ojai, Calif., this weekend, as no other school had two doubles teams in the quarterfinals. Neither pair, however, could make it past the semifinals of the tournament, ending the season for the Wildcats.
“”That’s it. That’s a wrap,”” said UA assistant coach Tom Lloyd. “”It’s disappointing not going to the NCAA’s.””
Seniors Claudio Christen and Bruno Alcala paired up because Christen’s usual partner, freshman Jay Goldman, was out of commission with a back injury. After beating Washington’s Derek Drabble and Andy Kuharszky 8-3 and UCLA’s Nick Meister and Harel Srugo 8-5 Friday, the Wildcat duo lost to ASU’s Matt Brooklyn and T.J. Bellama 8-3 in the semifinals Saturday.
Lloyd said Christen’s adjustment to playing with his roommate, Alcala, was impressive.
“”They’re very comfortable with each other so it was a very easy transition for Claudio,”” Lloyd said. “”He’s our best doubles player this last year. Whoever he plays with, he makes the other player a better doubles player as well.””
UA sophomores Pat Metham and Ravid Hazi also played this weekend, beating UCLA’s second duo of Jeremy Drean and Michael Look in a tie breaker, 9-8 (3), on Friday.
Metham and Hazi went on to face the nation’s No. 2 doubles team comprised of USC’s Kaes Van’t Hof and Robert Farah in the quarterfinals but the Trojans downed the Wildcats 8-4.
The season is now concluded for the Wildcats, but the work for next season has just begun, Lloyd said.
“”(Head coach Tad Berkowitz) and I are going to hit the recruiting trail,”” Lloyd said. “”We’ve got three guys coming in for next year already and we’re in the means for getting our fourth guy.””