University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
ITA D'Novo All-American Championships
Smith's Run Ends in Consolation Semifinals
October 09, 2010 | Men's Tennis
Oct. 9, 2010
Senior John-Patrick Smith's run at the ITA All-American Chamionships ended Saturday with a loss in the consolation semifinals to a top-10 opponent in Tulsa, Okla.
Smith, the defending singles and doubles champion, fell 7-5, 6-4 to seventh-ranked Steve Johnson of Southern California in consolation. It was Smith's second career loss to Johnson.
Smith advanced to the afternoon semifinals with a walkover in his quarterfinal match. He ended the tournament with a 2-2 record.
At the beginning of the tournament, Saturday's matchup between Smith and Johnson would have been a reasonable prediction for the main draw semifinals, but both players were upset in the first round. The two had met previously in the semifinals of the 2009 ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships, with Johnson winning 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
The Vols ended with All-American with two players, senior Matteo Fago and sophomore Rhyne Williams, reaching the round of 16. Smith and Williams lost in the round of 16 in doubles as well.
Tennessee returns to the courts Oct. 21 for the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships in Lexington, Ky. The winners advance to the USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships.
ITA All-American Championships
Saturday's Results
Consolation Singles
Quarterfinals
John-Patrick Smith, w/o
Semifinals
Steve Johnson, Southern California, def. John-Patrick Smith, UT, 7-5, 6-4
