I've searched the ITA archives which date back only to 1982, but this year's year-end #3 ranking matches TCU's best ever, which was previously achieved in 1996. We've had several Top 10's and we've advanced further (4 Final 4's) but this year's team, in terms of rankings, is tied for the Frogs' best season ever.
Also, on Tuesday, Alex Rybakov was named the ITA National Rookie of the Year, which makes it the 2nd straight year TCU has earned a national award (David Roditi was ITA National Coach of the Year last season).
And like football, there's always "way-too-early" rankings for the next season - over at collegetennistoday, the early speculation is that TCU will be ranked #1 next year pre-season because all of the other elite teams are losing seniors and we're projected to have everyone back. We'll see.
And there was a little controversy about the TCU-Cal match being moved indoors. Roditi tamped that down quickly by not even mentioning it and just congratulating Cal. But the same thing happened in both the Virginia semis and in the finals against OU and there has been a LOT of controversy about that. Primarily because it's supposed to be an outside tournament and there already is a National Indoors (which the Cavs also won). It was drizzling before the Finals and they had seen some lightning, and then it started raining harder and one more streak of lightning was seen, so the ITA immediately decided to move it indoors. Of course, once that happened, it stopped raining and the courts were dry within an hour but the matches stayed indoors, limiting attendance because of fire marshall concerns and dampening the Finals atmosphere (which would have been decidedly pro-OU). Even Roditi said that he didn't think they should have moved it indoors. There was no TV, so the schedule wasn't that mandated. Perhaps there should be a rule where the higher seed gets to decide. Maybe Roditi and the rest of the Board should consider it.
Whatever - Norrie and Rybakov tomorrow!
