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GoFrogs: Rybakov Storms Into NCAA Singles Semifinals

TopFrog

Lifelong Frog
https://gofrogs.com/news/2019/5/23/mens-tennis-rybakov-storms-into-ncaa-singles-semifinals.aspx

GoFrogs: Rybakov Storms Into NCAA Singles Semifinals

ORLANDO, Fla. – TCU senior Alex Rybakov became just the second player in program history to reach the semifinals of the NCAA Singles Championship with a hard-fought victory over North Carolina's William Blumberg, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, on Thursday afternoon at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.

The No. 3 seed in this year's tournament, Rybakov joins current ATP World No. 41-ranked Cameron Norrie (2016) as the only Horned Frogs to reach the NCAA Singles Championship semifinals. He will look to become the first Frog advance to the national championship match when he takes the court on Friday against No. 1-seeded Nuno Borges of Mississippi State.

Rybakov and Borges have already played three times in singles this season with each player winning one match and the other being left unfinished. Rybakov claimed a 6-0, 7-6 (8-6) decision at the Tempe Collegiate Cup in January while Borges was victorious, 6-1, 6-4, in Starkville in the NCAA Team Championship Super Regional which TCU won. Rybakov was leading the other contest, 7-6, 6-6, but it was not completed after TCU clinched the team victory over Mississippi State in Chicago in February.

In Thursday's quarterfinals contest, Rybakov was able to get an early break in the first set but Blumberg answered immediately with a break of his own as the two battled to a 4-4 deadlock. Rybakov followed that up by holding serve before falling behind 30-40 with Blumberg at the service line. The TCU senior came through in the clutch, however, claiming the next two points to win the game and take the set, 6-4.

The second set was a back-and-forth battle in the early goings with the two competitors combining to break each other on three consecutive services. Up 4-3 at that point, Blumberg was able to finish off the frame, 6-3, by winning its final three games to even the match up at one set each and force a deciding third stanza.

Rybakov wasted little time taking the advantage in the decisive set, using a pair of breaks to run away with a 6-2 triumph that would send him storming into the semifinals.

Thursday's victory improves Rybakov's overall singles record this season to 29-4. His .879 winning percentage currently ranks as the third-best single-season singles winning percentage in school history heading into Friday's NCAA semifinals appearance.

NCAA Individual Championship Results (Thursday, May 23)
Singles
QF: #3 Alex Rybakov (TCU) def. #No. 9-16 William Blumberg (North Carolina): 6-4, 3-6, 6-2

NCAA Individual Championship Schedule (Friday, May 24)
Singles
SF: #3 Alex Rybakov (TCU) vs. #1 Nuno Borges (Mississippi State)
 

SuperBarrFrog

Active Member
My TV shows tennis channel showing singles and doubles semifinals from 4-9 eastern.
Guess we’ll have to watch twitter to find out match time.

 
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