University of Tennessee Athletics
Libietis, Reese Reach Knoxville Challenger Final
November 08, 2014 | Men's Tennis
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- With one breathtaking shot and characteristically consistent play, Tennessee seniors Mikelis Libietis and Hunter Reese won Saturday to advance to doubles finals of the Knoxville Challenger.
After breaking their opponents' serve to end the first set, Libietis and Reese rolled in the second for a 6-4, 6-2 semifinal victory over Alex Kuznetsov and Edward Corrie at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
Libietis and Reese face Gastao Elias and Sean Thornley in Sunday's final, which is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Admission is $10 per person.
Libietis and Reese, the defending NCAA champions and No. 1-ranked college doubles team, have proven they can hold their own on the big stage this week. The seniors ousted the second seeded team of Kevin King and Juan Carlos Spir 7-6 (5), 4-6, [11-9] on Wednesday and received a bye in the quarterfinals Friday when their opponents withdrew from the tournament.
On Saturday, the Vols' leading duo took advantage of their opportunities late in the set. With Corrie serving at 4-5 on deciding point, Reese came in after a lob and hit a series of deep volleys down the line, eventually resulting in an error from Corrie to take the first set 6-4.
At 1-1 in the second set, Reese brought the pro-Tennessee crowd to their feet with a shot that gave the Vols the momentum the rest of the match.
In an exchange of net-skimming volleys at the net at 40-30, Reese reflexed a shot that clipped the net and dropped down to Kuznetsov, who angled an almost impossible volley back over the net toward the benches. Reese raced to his left, slid and hit a backhand volley winner in the two-foot gap between in the net post and the umpire's chair.
Even Kuznetsov and Corrie shook Reese's hand after the improbable winner, which Reese immediately named the best shot of his life.
By reaching the Knoxville Challenger finals, Libietis and Reese have earned 48 doubles tour points this week and will both most likely crack the top 1,000 in the ATP World Tour doubles rankings. A tournament victory would give them 80 points each and a spot in the low 600s.
Libietis and Reese became the first active Vols to score a victory in the annual tournament since 2009, when John-Patrick Smith and Davey Sandgren won an opening-round doubles match together. It is the first year Libietis has played the main draw at the Knoxville Challenger.
Both Vols plan to play professional tennis after they wrap up their college careers in May.
