TCU Wins Marathon Match Over USF

Monday, March 15

Tampa, Fla

1 PM

TCU

South Florida

TCU Wins Marathon Match Over USF

3/15/2021 6:15:00 PM | Men's Tennis

All six singles matches go to three sets as No. 5 TCU outlasts No. 34 USF

TAMPA, Fla. –No. 5 TCU men's tennis (9-3), playing in its first dual of the month, displayed toughness and determination in a 5-2 victory over No. 34 USF on Monday afternoon in Tampa, Fla. All six singles matches went to three sets and Sander Jong fought off match points in doubles and singles play as the Horned Frogs earned a courageous victory on the road.

"What a battle!" Head coach David Roditi said. "Match points down in doubles and then every singles match goes three sets. Too bad fans couldn't see it. I'm very proud of our fight, dealing with different weather conditions than we have dealt with all year. Sander and Tadeas saved match points in doubles and then he [Jong] saves match points in singles as well. He loses those two matches and we lose. Incredible how small the margin is in college tennis and that's why it's awesome. My heart may stop working, but we love it. Tomas Jirousek and Tadeas Paroulek showed a lot of poise and resilience to comeback from a set down and battle back.
Always a pleasure getting to play ex TCU teammate and great friend, coach Ashley Fisher and James Wilson. We will recover and battle Wednesday night at Florida."

TCU claimed the doubles point with wins from Jake Fearnley/Bertus Kruger and Jong/Paroulek. Fearnley/Kruger used a break in the middle games to secure a 6-4 win over the No. 38-ranked pairing in the country. A few minutes later, Jong and Paroulek defended match point, down 4-5, before getting the break to win an emotional match, 7-5.

DOUBLES QUICK HITS

The Horned Frogs won the doubles point for the second straight match and the sixth time this season.
TCU is now 5-1 after winning the doubles point.
Jake Fearnley and Bertus Kruger improve to 3-2 as a pairing with the win today.
Fearnley is now 3-2 in doubles play this season while Kruger improves to 5-4.
This was their first ranked win together, as a doubles team.
It was the fifth-career ranked doubles win for Kruger and the second for Fearnley.
Sander Jong and Tadeas Paroulek improve to 7-3 as a pairing in duals.
It was the eighth doubles win and 16^th overall victory of the season for Jong.
Jong won both his singles and doubles matches today, marking his third 2-0 performance of the year.
This was the first 2-0 performance for Paroulek and Kruger.
TCU is now 23-15 in doubles matches this season.

Doubles Results
1. #21 Rithvik Bollipalli/Jakub Wojcik (USF) def. Alastair Gray/Luc Fomba (TCU) 7-5
2. Bertus Kruger/Jake Fearnley (TCU) def. #38 Pierre Luquet/Chase Ferguson (USF) 6-4
3. #24 Sander Jong/Tadeas Paroulek (TCU) def. Ivan Yatsuk/Alvin Tudorica (USF) 7-5
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3

SINGLES QUICK HITS

After nearly three hours on the courts, Paroulek recorded the first singles point with a three-set victory on court five.
Paroulek collected his third win of the season, all three of his wins have come in three-sets.
This was the fifth three-set victory in Paroulek's collegiate career.
Sander Jong defended match points again at No. 3, coming back from a first set defeat to win: 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-2.
The win moves him to 7-3 this season.
It was his sixth three-set match of the season. Jong is now 4-2 in matches that go the distance. Jong has now won two matches after losing the opening set this season.
All four of Jong's three-set wins have come in dominant fashion: 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 and 6-2.
Bertus Kruger clinched the match in an epic three-setter: 6-2, 6-7)8), 7-6(5).
Kruger has now won his last six completed three-set matches dating back to 2018.
It was his second singles win this dual season.
Tomas Jirousek battled back from a set to secure TCU's fifth point of the day: 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
It was his fourth singles win of the season and his second consecutive three-set victory.
This was Jirousek's second collegiate three-set win and his first after losing the opening set. He is now 2-1 in three set matches.
TCU is now 37-19 in singles matches this dual season after posting a 4-2 record today.

Singles Results
1. Chase Ferguson (USF) def. #21 Alastair Gray (TCU) 1-6, 6-4, 7-5
2. Jakub Wojcik (USF) def. #47 Luc Fomba (TCU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
3. #113 Sander Jong (TCU) def. Ivan Yatsuk (USF) 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-2
4. #125 Tomas Jirousek (TCU) def. Pierre Luquet (USF) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
5. Tadeas Paroulek (TCU) def. Sergio Gomez Montesa (USF) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
6. Bertus Kruger (TCU) def. Rithvik Bollipalli (USF) 6-2, 6-7 (8-10), 7-6 (7-5)
Order of finish: 6, 3, 5, 4, 2

Up Next
The Horned Frogs travel to Gainesville, Fla, for a Top-10 dual with No. 7 Florida. The match is set for 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17.

For more information on TCU men's tennis, visit gofrogs.com and follow the team on social media: @TCUMensTennis on twitter, Facebook and the all new men's tennis Instagram.