2013/06/19

Marcos Giron and Dennis Novikov of UCLA Capture Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship

La Jolla, Calif. – (March 3, 2013) – In an exciting finish at the 124th Annual Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship, third-seeded Marcos Giron and Dennis Novikov of UCLA scored a thrilling 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 victory over fifth-seeded Max De Vroome and Eric Johnson of USC in Sunday’s final.

Giron and Novikov become the first UCLA Bruin doubles team to win the prestigious doubles title at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club since 2009 when Haythem Abid and Nick Meister combined to win the tournament.

Both teams exchanged service breaks early in the first set, and later after De Vroome dropped serve at 4-4, Novikov served for the set at 5-4, but was broken as he double faulted on break point.

The set was eventually decided in a tiebreaker as Johnson and De Vroome jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the tiebreak. Giron and Novikov rallied and fought off two set points, but the USC duo prevailed 7-5 to win the first set.

Novikov and Giron came back quickly to take a 4-1 lead in the second set and would go on to win the set in only 18 minutes as they lost only four points in their service games.

With the match tied at a set apiece, Giron and Novikov broke Johnson’s serve at love in the fifth game to take a 4-2 lead in the final set. Later, Giron served for the match at 5-4 and took a 40-0 lead only to see Johnson and De Vroome win the next three points to extend the game to deuce. However, Giron proceeded to serve out the match, which took one-hour and 40 minutes.

“It’s great winning such a historic event. This was a confidence booster for both of us,” Giron said following the trophy presentation. “It was a tough match. We really shouldn’t have lost the first set. We knew that even though we lost the set, we knew we could win (the match).”

This year’s Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship featured a draw of 128 doubles teams and entries from 19 collegiate men’s tennis teams. On Saturday, a tournament record 148 scheduled matches were played.

For complete tournament draws, go to: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=125266

 

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John Morrissey and Denis Lin Upset Top Seeds at Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship

John Morrissey (left) and Denis Lin

John Morrissey (left) and Denis Lin

La Jolla, Calif. – (March 2, 2013) –  At the Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship on Saturday,  Stanford’s John Morrissey and Denis Lin continued their impressive run in the tournament as they eliminated top-seeded Campbell Johnson and Christoffer Konigsfeldt, 6-1, 6-1, in an afternoon quarterfinal match.

 

Lin and Morrissey have played dominating tennis as they have dropped a total of only 15 games in their first five matches. They advanced to Sunday’s semifinal and will face third-seeded Marcos Giron and Dennis Novikov of UCLA, who defeated third-seeded Alex Bringham and Clay Thompson, 6-2, 6-4 in an all-UCLA quarterfinal match.

 

The Stanford duo entered the quarterfinal match in La Jolla with some extra incentive after having played against Johnson and Konigsfeldt in a recent dual match between Stanford and Cal-Berkeley.

 

“We had just played them last weekend and we lost, so we had a little chip on our shoulder. We felt the way we were playing, we had a really good shot (in La Jolla) if we just stayed focused,” Lin said following their quarterfinal victory.

 

In other afternoon quarterfinal matches, ninth-seeded Maciek Romanowicz and Robert Stineman of Stanford defeated the second-seeded independent team of Philipp Gruendler and Kris Kwinta of Los Angeles, 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the semifinals.

 

They will face fifth-seeded Max De Vroome and Eric Johnson, who captured a thrilling 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, quarterfinal victory over Joe Dorn and Warren Wood of Claremont McKenna-Mudd-Scripps College.

 

The Romanowicz / Stineman vs. De Vroome / Johnson semifinal will begin at 9 a.m. Sunday, followed by the Lin / Morrissey vs. Giron / Novikov semifinal match. The championship is scheduled to get underway at approximately 1:30 p.m. (All times are PST).

 

La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club welcomes tennis spectators to view the tournament with free admission. On-site parking is available for a nominal fee.

 

For complete tournament draws, go to: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=125266

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Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship – Friday Results

LJBTC Logo

La Jolla, Calif. – (March 1, 2013) – With a draw featuring 128 doubles teams, the 124th Annual Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club scheduled the completion of the first round as well as the second and third rounds on Thursday.

 

The result was a tournament record 148 matches played, according to Tournament Director Bill Kellogg, who said there had never been that many matches played in a single day in the history of the Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship.

 

The tournament’s top-seeded collegiate team of Campbell Johnson and Christoffer Konigsfeldt of the University of California, Berkeley got off to an impressive start as they began their quest for the title by losing a total of only six games in their first two victories.

 

In their third round match of the day, Johnson and Konigsfeldt faced a tough challenge against the ninth-seeded team of Richard Del Nunzio and Matt Campbell of Oklahoma State. The top seeds got through to the fourth round with a hard-fought 7-5, 6-3 victory.

 

“We’re just having fun out there and We’re keeping it loose,” said the 21-year-old Johnson, a resident of nearby Rancho Santa Fe. “It’s nice to be back close to home and see all of my family and friends.”

 

Johnson, who is playing in his first Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship, says it’s a privilege to play the event in La Jolla. “The past champions that have won this tournament are incredible. It would be an honor to be up on that plaque,” he said. “This place is beautiful. If you’re from here (San Diego) you know about this club and the events held here.”

 

In other tournament action, the top-seeded independent team of KC Corkery and Blake Muller of San Francisco fell in the first round to Stanford’s Nolan Paige and Trey Strobel, 6-2, 6-4. Corkery is a former tournament champion, having won the tournament title in 2005 while playing for Stanford.

 

The fifth-seeded independent team of Kelly Jones, head tennis coach at Furman University, and Peter Smith, head tennis coach at the University of Southern California, won their opening match as they got past Villanova’s Kelly Donaldson and Thomas O’Brien, 6-1, 6-3.

 

Jones and Smith were eliminated in the second round as they were defeated by Tamas Batyi and Johannes Markel of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 6-2, 6-0.

 

Saturday’s schedule, which will feature fourth-round and quarterfinal matches, will begin at 9 a.m.  On Sunday, the first semifinal will be played at 9 a.m., followed by the second semifinal match. The championship is scheduled to get underway at approximately 1:30 p.m. (All times are PST).

 

For complete tournament draws, go to: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=125266

 

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Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship – Thursday’s Results

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La Jolla, Calif. – (February 28, 2013) – One of the beautiful aspects of the sport of tennis is that a match is never over until match point has been won. That was clearly evident in a first-round match on opening day at the 124th Annual Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club.

 

Playing on Court No. 1, unseeded Joe Dorn and Warren Wood of Claremont McKenna-Mudd-Scripps College in Claremont, Calif. faced seventh-seeded Brent Davis and Trent Miller, two veteran San Diego tennis teaching professionals.

 

Using their experience, Davis and Miller captured the first set and quickly jumped out to a 5-0 second-set lead and appeared headed to quick straight set victory as they served for the match.

 

At that point, Dorn a 20-year-old sophomore from Washington, D.C., and Wood, a 19-year-old sophomore from Del Mar, Calif. decided to play to win one game so they would not lose the set at love.

 

Picking up the intensity of their game and playing more aggressively, Dorn and Wood not only broke serve to stay in the match, they began to hit more freely and eventually forced the second set to a tiebreak. After the CMS duo captured the second set tiebreak, the match would be decided in a match tiebreak.

 

Dorn and Wood capped a thrilling comeback as they ousted Davis and Miller, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 12-10.

 

“They came out and played really strong at the beginning. We had a really slow start. I was struggling and at 5-0 I was kind of out of it,” Wood said. “We ended up breaking that game and we kept it rolling through the entire second set. The third-set tiebreaker really could have gone anybody’s way.”

 

Dorn said being aggressive was the key to their victory. “To beat these guys, we had to match their intensity and pace, so we hit the ball harder and it worked. We came through at the end,” he said.

 

In other first-round tournament action on Thursday afternoon, Gustavo Gonzalez and Dylan Tozier of Rice University defeated Nick Hoyle and Michael Tang of the University of Southern California, 6-2, 6-3, and Charlie Alvarado and Carlos Di Laura of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, eliminated Alex Johnson and Oliver Seifert of CMS, 4-6, 6-1, 10-4

 

The tournament’s top-seeded collegiate team is Campbell Johnson and Christoffer Konigsfeldt of University of California, Berkeley. The top-seeded independent team is KC Corkery, who won the tournament in 2005 and Blake Muller of San Francisco. For the complete list of seeds and draws, go to: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=125266

 

Kelly Jones, a former San Diegan who was the number one ranked doubles player in the world in 1992 after reaching the doubles final at the Australian Open and US Open, will play his first-round match on Friday at 8 a.m.

 

The 48-year-old Jones is the head men’s tennis coach at Furman University in Greenville, S.C. He will team with Peter Smith, head coach of University of Southern California men’s tennis team. They are seeded fifth and are scheduled to face Kelly Donaldson and Thomas O’Brien of Villanova University in their opening match.

 

This year’s Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship, which concludes on Sunday, features a draw with 128 doubles teams and includes 19 intercollegiate teams (please see full list below) and independent players such as teaching professionals, junior players, college coaches and former tour players.

 

The starting time for the final three days of the tournament will be as follows: Friday, March 1 – 8 a.m.; Saturday, March 2 – 9 a.m.; Sunday, March 3 – Semifinals at 9 a.m.; Championship Final will begin at approximately 1:30 p.m. (all times are PST).

 

La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club welcomes tennis spectators to view the tournament with free admission. On-site parking is available for a nominal fee.

 

 

Collegiate teams playing in the 2013 Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship:

 

Boston College

Claremont McKenna-Mudd-Scripps College (CMS)

Fresno State University (FSU)

Furman University

Oklahoma State University

Pepperdine University

Rice University

San Diego State University (SDSU)

Stanford University

University of California, Davis (UC Davis)

University of California, Berkeley (CAL)

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

University of California, San Diego (UCSD)

University of Central Florida

University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

University of San Diego (USD)

University of Southern California (USC)

University of Toledo

Villanova University

 

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2013 Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship Begins on Thursday

La Jolla, Calif. – (February 26, 2013) – The 124thAnnual Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship featuring many of the best NCAA Men’s college tennis teams in the country and a strong field of independent players, will begin at 2 p.m. (PST) on Thursday, Feb. 28 at the La Jolla Beach& Tennis Club. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, March 3.

 

In addition to the 19 intercollegiate teams (please see full list below) participating in this year’s Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship there will be teaching professionals, junior players, college coaches and former tour players among the independent players competing in the draw in which 128 doubles teams have entered.

 

The starting time for each day will be as follows: Thursday, Feb. 28 – 2 p.m.; Friday, March 1 – 8 a.m.

Saturday, March 2 – 9 a.m.; Sunday, March 3 –Semifinals at 9 a.m.; Championship Final will begin at approximately 1:30 p.m. (all times are PST).

 

The tournament’s top-seeded collegiate team is Campbell Johnson and Christoffer Konigsfeldt of University of California, Berkeley. The top-seeded independent team is KC Corkery, who won the tournament in 2005 and Blake Muller of San Francisco. For the complete list of seeds and draws, go to: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=125266

 

Among notable independent players entered in this year’s event is Kelly Jones, a former San Diegan who captured the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) San Diego Section Singles Championship in 1981 while playing at Point Loma High School.

 

Jones played collegiate tennis at Pepperdine University where he was a four-time All-American, winning NCAA doubles titles in 1984 and 1985. He played on the ATP World Tour from 1986 to 1998 and was the number one ranked doubles player in the world in 1992 when he reached the doubles final at the Australian Open and US Open.

 

After finishing his professional tennis career with two singles titles and eight doubles championships, Jones served as a National Coach for the United States Tennis Association and went on to coach many players including James Blake, Mardy Fish and John Isner.

 

The 48-year-old Jones lives in Greenville, S.C., where he is the head coach of the Furman University men’s tennis team. Jones, a former tournament champion who won the event in 1984, will be bringing his team to La Jolla to play in this week’s tournament.

 

“You definitely have an incredible sense of history when you’re at the club (LJB&TC). The years this tournament has been held there and the quality of players that keep coming back, says a lot about the tournament and the organization behind it,” said Jones, who first played in the Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship when he was 16 years old.

 

“This is coming full circle for me. Now I’m bringing my college team back to my roots. The guys on my team don’t know what to expect. They’ve never experienced this before,” Jones added.“I know they’re going to walk away realizing the same thing I did, how special this event is and what a great opportunity it is to be able to play.”

 

Jones is scheduled to play in the tournament with Peter Smith, head coach of the University of Southern California men’s tennis team. They are seeded fifth.

 

La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club welcomes tennis spectators to view the tournament with free admission. On-site parking is available for a nominal fee.

 

“I encourage tennis fans to come watch the doubles matches this week,” said Tournament Director Bill Kellogg. “It’s going to be another incredible tournament and fans are going to be treated to some exciting tennis at a very high level.”

 

Collegiate teams playing in the 2013 Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship:

 

Boston College

Claremont McKenna-Mudd-Scripps College (CMS)

Fresno State University (FSU)

Furman University

Oklahoma State University

Pepperdine University

Rice University

San Diego State University (SDSU)

Stanford University

University of California, Davis (UC Davis)

University of California, Berkeley (CAL)

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

University of California, San Diego (UCSD)

University of Central Florida

University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

University of San Diego (USD)

University of Southern California (USC)

University of Toledo

Villanova University

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