Johnson Moves Into Round of 32
5/23/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU men's tennis player Trevor Johnson kicked off individual postseason action by scoring a straight-set victory over No. 31 Daniel Valent of Vanderbilt to move onto the round of the 32 at the 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Singles Championship at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Wednesday, May 23.
Johnson, who is ranked No. 65 and playing in the NCAA Singles Championship for the first time in his career, jumped out to a 3-0 lead to open the match. Valent worked his way back into the opening set by winning four of the next five service games to even it up at 4-all. After each player held serve one more time, Johnson was able to capitalize off a late break to take the first set, 7-5.
The duo were even throughout the second set with it ultimately being decided in a tiebreaker. Valent was able to take a 2-0 lead to start the tiebreaker, but Johnson stormed back by winning seven of the next eight points played to win the tiebreaker, 7-3, and win the match in straight sets.
Junior and No. 21 Alex Rybakov was also in action on the opening day of the NCAA Singles Championship, but ultimately fell in straight sets to No. 40 Gabriel Friedrich of South Carolina.
Johnson moves into the second round for the first time in his career and will face No. 10 Mazen Osama of Alabama on Thursday, May 24, at 8:30 a.m., CT. The No. 6 ranked doubles pair of Rybakov and Guillermo Nuñez will also be in action against the No. 36 ranked pair of McClain Kessler and Duarte Vale of Florida at 2:30 p.m., CT.
NCAA Singles Championship Results
R64: #65 Trevor Johnson (TCU) def. #31 Daniel Valent (Vanderbilt): 7-5, 7-6(3)
R64: #40 Gabriel Friedrick (SC) def. #21 Alex Rybakov (TCU): 6-4, 7-6(3)
