University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
NCAA Championships (Singles & Doubles)
Vols Advance at NCAA Tennis
May 21, 2015 | Men's Tennis
WACO, Texas -- Tennessee senior Mikelis Libietis pulled out another three-set singles win and scored an opening doubles victory with senior Hunter Reese on Thursday at the NCAA singles and doubles championships.
Libietis played his way into the third round of singles with a 6-2, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (5) victory over Max Tchoutakian of host school Baylor in a long contest on Hurd Tennis Center's No. 1 court.
"I started out really well, but he changed his game plan and started to play differently," Libietis said. "I got in trouble. I started to get nervous and wanted to change some things that I didn't need to. But he's a good player and it was a good match, and I'm happy I'm through."
In Friday's third-round match, Libietis will face TCU freshman Cameron Norrie, who upset sixth-seeded Soren Hess-Olesen of Texas. The match is scheduled for 11 a.m. Eastern.
Two hours later, Libietis and Reese teamed up for a 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory over TCU's Nick Chappell and Will Stein.
They will take on the Denver's Henry Craig and Alex Gasson in the second round at 3 p.m.
Libietis worked his way through a three-setter in his opening win on Wednesday and faced a similar scenario on Thursday. He won his first set quickly over Tchoutakian 6-2, but the Baylor freshman raised his level in the final two sets.
Libietis was up a break early in the second set, but Tchoutakian forced a third set by taking the second in an 8-6 tiebreaker.
The Tennessee senior warded off more than five break points in the final set and eventually took the match on his serve in the tiebreaker. Leading 6-5, Libietis hit a big serve down the T and charged the net. Tchoutakian could not handle Libietis' next volley, hitting the ball long and sending the senior into the round of 16.
In doubles, Libietis and Reese collected their seventh career NCAA doubles tournament win together, but it did not come easily.
The Vol duo led TCU in the first set 5-2, but Chappell and Stein rallied for force a tiebreaker. In the breaker, Libietis and Reese drew on their tiebreaker experience. With two big return winners early, the Vols jumped out to a 5-0 lead and took the tiebreaker 7-2.
"They had the momentum going in the breaker, and they started playing some good tennis," Reese said. "We just wanted to take it to them. Tiebreakers are almost like a mini-set. We've had some success in tiebreakers. Once we got out to a lead, we were able to run away with it."
In the second set, the Vols were able to get into TCU's service games with greater regularity. They also took care of their serves better after adjusting to the court surface, which Reese says puts a premium on play calling because it is difficult to get quick points on serves and other power shots.
"The ball stops when it hits the court, so it's tough to hold or get free points on your serve," Reese said. "We got behind but dug out of that. That was important from a mental side. They had some chances but we didn't let them get them."
