UCLA
USC
UCLA to Visit USC, Host Baylor
March 08, 2017 | Men's Tennis
LOS ANGELES -- The No. 13 UCLA men's tennis team is fresh off a trip to the 128th annual Pacific Coast Men's Doubles Championships with its focus turned to the second half of the dual-match season. Just under a month away from Pac-12 play, the Bruins have three non-conference matches remaining. That stretch begins this week, when UCLA makes the short trip Thursday (3:00 p.m.) to Marks Stadium, on the campus of its crosstown rival, No. 14 USC. The Bruins will then return home to host No. 9 Baylor Saturday (3:30 p.m.).
Though still out of conference, Thursday's meeting between UCLA and USC represents the latest chapter in a storied rivalry. The Bruins and Trojans have tallied 125 all-time meetings, which UCLA has captured 78 of, including a 4-3 victory in the first round of the ITA National Men's Team Indoor Championship last month (Feb. 17). The Trojan doubles team of Brandon Holt and Riley Smith took down Bruin duo Martin Redlicki and Evan Zhu, 7-5, in a sudden-death duel to clinch the first point of the day. After the Bruins took the first two singles points, the rivals traded the next four. Ultimately, the match was won on Court 1, where Redlicki ousted Holt in a three-set decision, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4.
Bruin freshman Ben Goldberg, who debuted with a doubles win against the Trojans last month, was part of two Bruin doubles teams to reach the semifinals of the Pacific Coast Doubles Championships in La Jolla, Calif. (March 2-5). The team of Goldberg and Maxime Cressy, seeded ninth, recorded five wins during the tournament, including a 7-6 (2), 7-5 win over USC's pair of Rob Bellamy and Jack Jaede in the quarterfinals. The third-seeded team of Redlicki and Zhu, meanwhile, recorded four wins after its first-round bye, including two against fellow collegiate opponents.
In the latest ITA/Oracle singles rankings, released March 7, Bruins Gage Brymer (No. 11) and Redlicki (No. 42) checked in with Top-50 positions. The UCLA pair of Redlicki and Zhu is ranked 26th in the latest doubles installment. USC is also represented twice in the Top 50 of the singles rankings, with Holt (No. 16) and Logan Smith (No. 45). The Trojan teams of Holt-Riley Smith (No. 19) and Logan Smith-Thibault Forget (No. 55) are ranked in the latest doubles list.
In contrast to its lengthy history with the Trojans, the Bruins will face a Baylor team Saturday that it has met just 14 times. The Bears hold the series edge with nine wins, including a 4-0 home victory in the teams' most recent meeting on Feb. 22, 2015.
Baylor currently holds a 12-2 record on the season, with a match at UC Santa Barbara scheduled prior to its visit to Sunset Canyon Tennis Courts. The Bears and Bruins have faced four common opponents thus far. Baylor has defeated Lamar (6-1, Feb. 3) and Georgia (4-2, Feb. 18) and fallen to California (4-2, Feb. 17) and USC (4-2, Feb. 19). UCLA holds wins against Lamar (4-0, Jan. 29), Georgia (4-3, Feb. 4) and USC, and a loss to California (4-3, Feb. 19).
Juan Benitez (No. 15), Max Tchoutakian (No. 35) and Johannes Schretter (No. 81) represent Baylor in the latest singles rankings, while the team of Will Little and Schretter is ranked 57th in doubles.
The Baylor match represents the first of four straight at Sunset Courts for the Bruins. They will host No. 43 Duke on Thursday, March 16 (2:30 p.m.) in their next contest.
Players Mentioned
