University of Tennessee Athletics
Timo Stodder Wins Again in Singles While Touliatos and Stodder Battle in Doubles
May 21, 2019 | Men's Tennis
ORLANDO, Fla. – In the second day of competition at the NCAA Men's Tennis Championships at the USTA National Campus, Timo Stodder advances to the round of 16 in singles while Stodder and Preston Touliatos battle in doubles.
Stodder won his second round matchup against UCLA's Keegan Smith, 7-6 (7), 6-2, advancing to the round of 16 for the second-straight year. He becomes the first Vol since Rhyne Williams in 2010 and 2011 to make back-to-back round of 16 appearances.
The opening set was tightly-contested as neither Stodder nor Smith gained much of an advantage, trading the first eight games. Both players had an opportunity to close out the set but we're unable to finish off the other and the first set went to a tiebreaker which Stodder took control of, winning, 7-5, to claim the opening set victory, 7-6 (7).
The second set was firmly in Stodder's control from the outset as the Berlin, Germany native jumped out to a three-games to none lead. Smith clawed back to within two games, cutting Stodder's lead down to, 4-2, but was stifled by Stodder as he took the final two games, winning, 6-2.
The win is Stodder's 25th of the season and the 97th of his career, tying him with Earl Grainger for 11th all-time in program history.
The senior will face off against fellow SEC member Nuno Borges from Mississippi State who entered as the tournament's top-overall seed. Stodder and Borges have met twice this season with Borges winning both matches in two sets. This will be their second meeting in the NCAA Tournament as it was Borges who eliminated Stodder last season in the quarterfinal.
Stodder and Touliatos took to the court on Tuesday night for their opening round doubles match against Columbia's Jack Lin and William Matheson, winning the match, 6-0, 4-6, 1-0 (12-10).
The nation's 6th-ranked doubles team, Stodder and Touliatos dominated Lin and Matheson in the first set, racing away to win, 6-0. The Volunteer duo jumped out early in the second set, 2-0, but Lin and Matheson stormed back, winning five-straight games to take a commanding lead at, 5-2.
The Vols fought back to get within one game at, 4-5, but the rally fell short as the duo from Columbia edged out Stodder and Touliatos, taking the second set, 6-4, and forcing a tiebreaker. The tiebreaker continued to go back-and-forth with the Vols finally closing out Lin and Matheson, 12-10, winning the match.
Stodder and Touliatos advance to Wednesday's round of 16 where they will face Nicolas Moreno de Alboran and Anders Holm from UC Santa Barbara.
UP NEXT
Stodder will face Nuno Borges on Wednesday in the round of 16, their third meeting this season and the second meeting between the SEC foes in the NCAA Tournament. In doubles, Stodder and Touliatos will go against Nicolas Moreno de Alboran and Anders Holm of UC Santa Barbara who made history on Tuesday by becoming the first UCSB doubles pair to win a round at the NCAA Tournament.
Stodder won his second round matchup against UCLA's Keegan Smith, 7-6 (7), 6-2, advancing to the round of 16 for the second-straight year. He becomes the first Vol since Rhyne Williams in 2010 and 2011 to make back-to-back round of 16 appearances.
The opening set was tightly-contested as neither Stodder nor Smith gained much of an advantage, trading the first eight games. Both players had an opportunity to close out the set but we're unable to finish off the other and the first set went to a tiebreaker which Stodder took control of, winning, 7-5, to claim the opening set victory, 7-6 (7).
The second set was firmly in Stodder's control from the outset as the Berlin, Germany native jumped out to a three-games to none lead. Smith clawed back to within two games, cutting Stodder's lead down to, 4-2, but was stifled by Stodder as he took the final two games, winning, 6-2.
The win is Stodder's 25th of the season and the 97th of his career, tying him with Earl Grainger for 11th all-time in program history.
The senior will face off against fellow SEC member Nuno Borges from Mississippi State who entered as the tournament's top-overall seed. Stodder and Borges have met twice this season with Borges winning both matches in two sets. This will be their second meeting in the NCAA Tournament as it was Borges who eliminated Stodder last season in the quarterfinal.
Stodder and Touliatos took to the court on Tuesday night for their opening round doubles match against Columbia's Jack Lin and William Matheson, winning the match, 6-0, 4-6, 1-0 (12-10).
The nation's 6th-ranked doubles team, Stodder and Touliatos dominated Lin and Matheson in the first set, racing away to win, 6-0. The Volunteer duo jumped out early in the second set, 2-0, but Lin and Matheson stormed back, winning five-straight games to take a commanding lead at, 5-2.
The Vols fought back to get within one game at, 4-5, but the rally fell short as the duo from Columbia edged out Stodder and Touliatos, taking the second set, 6-4, and forcing a tiebreaker. The tiebreaker continued to go back-and-forth with the Vols finally closing out Lin and Matheson, 12-10, winning the match.
Stodder and Touliatos advance to Wednesday's round of 16 where they will face Nicolas Moreno de Alboran and Anders Holm from UC Santa Barbara.
UP NEXT
Stodder will face Nuno Borges on Wednesday in the round of 16, their third meeting this season and the second meeting between the SEC foes in the NCAA Tournament. In doubles, Stodder and Touliatos will go against Nicolas Moreno de Alboran and Anders Holm of UC Santa Barbara who made history on Tuesday by becoming the first UCSB doubles pair to win a round at the NCAA Tournament.
Players Mentioned
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