For the third time this season - and second in an NCAA tournament - TCU will square off against Texas.
No. 2-ranked TCU men's tennis will face No. 1 Texas in the NCAA tournament Final Four in Athens, Georgia, in the third meeting between the two schools.
The Horned Frogs earned a hard-fought win over Ohio State on Thursday to advance to their fourth straight national semifinals in the outdoor season.
At No. 1 singles, with the match tied 3-3, No. 8-ranked Duncan Chan pulled out a three-set thriller 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to clinch the match. According to TCU Athletics, Chan is an astounding 5-1 in clinch scenarios this season and holds nine match-clinching wins in his career.
"Really proud of a very young team," said head coach David Roditi. "Where they have come from the beginning of the season, and they get to be a part of a Final Four and win over Ohio State. One of the best programs, if not the best program, over the last 25 years. I couldn’t be happier, and I couldn’t be more proud of these young men."
Now the stage is set for what has turned into one of the fiercest men's tennis rivalries in the country between the Frogs and Longhorns.
Texas, which advanced to the Final Four after beating Baylor 4-1, has split the series with TCU this season. The teams have met in the ITA Indoor tournament in February (a Texas win) and again during the regular season in early March (a TCU win).
For Chan and the team, it's more about embracing the moment than focusing on the opponent and the history.
"The whole season, we’re all thinking about May and what it means to be in the Elite Eight or Final Four," the junior from Markham, Ontario said. "We’re practicing every day. We’re working every day. Morning practice, waking up early, going to the gym, staying later at practice. We’re just doing that so we can have a chance at winning this championship."
Chan has ranked inside the top 11 in the individual singles rankings for the entire academic year. He's 10-3 at No. 1 singles in matches that have completed, and has not lost since February 15 against Wake Forest.
Before staking claim of the Frogs' No. 1 spot this spring, Chan bounced around the lineup last fall. He credits that success for preparing him for this moment.
"I had a great fall. It was really good to experience that, to jump levels," he said. "At the start of the [spring] season, it was tough for me. I was trying to play the same, and I couldn’t. The expectations were a little higher, and I wasn’t finding my game. Slowly, trying to build day after day with these coaches and trying to peak at the right time. I think our team at this point is our best and when we are, it’s a dangerous thing for college tennis."
TCU tries to keep the season alive at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday, May 16 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
