Sunday, March 17
Los Angeles, CA
1:00 PM
UCLA
4
vs
3
Harvard
Spencer Johnson
Photo by: Scott Chandler
Johnson, Men's Tennis Defeat No. 10 Harvard in 4-3 Thriller
March 17, 2024 | Men's Tennis
LOS ANGELES โ Freshman Spencer Johnson overcame a 1-4 third-set deficit to be last man standing in the UCLA men's tennis team's 4-3 win against 10th-ranked Harvard Sunday afternoon at Los Angeles Tennis Center.
The all-or-nothing victory was Johnson's second this season. He also accomplished the feat at Pepperdine Feb. 18. The Bruins (7-4) secured the doubles point and took a 3-1 lead with singles wins by Gianluca Ballotta and Alexander Hoogmartens, who was playing in his first match since Jan. 30. The Crimson (13-5) mounted a comeback, with Rohan Murali and Henry von der Schulenberg supporting an earlier effort by Cooper Williams.
The doubles combination of Hoogmartens and Govind Nanda got down a break of serve and trailed 1-3 against Masato Perera and Alan Yim on Court 3. The Bruins responded emphatically, though, taking the following five games to prevail. On Court 2, Johnson and Emon van Loben Sels broke David Lins and Daniel Milavsky for 3-1 and held the rest of the way for a clinching 6-3 victory.
Despite its deficit, Harvard took control of the match with five singles first sets. No. 13 Williams would pull the Crimson level with his 6-2, 6-2 triumph over No. 28 Nanda on Court 1. Scores were turning in UCLA's favor, though, with three third sets ultimately forced.
Ballotta put the Bruins back on top when he was able to hold off Melchior Delloye for a 6-1, 7-5 win on Court 5. Ballotta's break in the final game prevented a tiebreaker. Hoogmartens celebrated his return to the singles lineup with a bounce-back performance, overcoming Jachuck for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 result โ and 3-1 lead โ on Court 4.
Harvard's response began when Murali outlasted Jorge Plans Gonzalez 6-1, 7-5 on Court 6. That turned eyes toward the stadium courts, where neighboring matchups would decide the overall outcome. Revelli jumped out to a 5-2 advantage in his third set with Henry von der Schulenberg, who did not go quietly. The Crimson senior charged back to take the final five games and 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 victory on Court 2.
With the ball in his court, Johnson started his own comeback from 1-4. Tasked with taking down No. 104 Milavsky, he had already erased a 2-5 difference in their second-set tiebreaker on Court 3. Johnson chipped away by first securing a hold. A break followed, getting the match back on serve and momentum squarely in Johnson's corner. He never looked back, completing his five-game run and 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 win with an ace.
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UCLA next begins Pac-12 play Friday, March 22, when No. 22 Arizona State visits LATC. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. PT.
Tennis Match Results
Harvard vs UCLA
3/17/2024 at Los Angeles, CA
(Los Angeles Tennis Center)
#29 UCLA 4, #10 Harvard 3
Singles competition
1. #13 Cooper Williams (HARV) def. #28 Govind Nanda (UCLA) 6-2, 6-2
2. Henry von der Schulenberg (HARV) def. Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
3. Spencer Johnson (UCLA) def. #104 Daniel Milavsky (HARV) 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
4. Alexander Hoogmartens (UCLA) def. Ronan Jachuck (HARV) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
5. Gianluca Ballotta (UCLA) def. Melchior Delloye (HARV) 6-1, 7-5
6. Rohan Murali (HARV) def. Jorge Plans Gonzalez (UCLA) 6-1, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Timothy Li/Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) vs. Ronan Jachuck/Cooper Williams (HARV) 5-4, unfinished
2. Spencer Johnson/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. David Lins/Daniel Milavsky (HARV) 6-3
3. Alexander Hoogmartens/Govind Nanda (UCLA) def. Masato Perera/Alan Yim (HARV) 6-3
Match Notes:
Harvard 13-5; National ranking #10
UCLA 7-4; National ranking #29
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (1,5,4,6,2,3)
The all-or-nothing victory was Johnson's second this season. He also accomplished the feat at Pepperdine Feb. 18. The Bruins (7-4) secured the doubles point and took a 3-1 lead with singles wins by Gianluca Ballotta and Alexander Hoogmartens, who was playing in his first match since Jan. 30. The Crimson (13-5) mounted a comeback, with Rohan Murali and Henry von der Schulenberg supporting an earlier effort by Cooper Williams.
The doubles combination of Hoogmartens and Govind Nanda got down a break of serve and trailed 1-3 against Masato Perera and Alan Yim on Court 3. The Bruins responded emphatically, though, taking the following five games to prevail. On Court 2, Johnson and Emon van Loben Sels broke David Lins and Daniel Milavsky for 3-1 and held the rest of the way for a clinching 6-3 victory.
Despite its deficit, Harvard took control of the match with five singles first sets. No. 13 Williams would pull the Crimson level with his 6-2, 6-2 triumph over No. 28 Nanda on Court 1. Scores were turning in UCLA's favor, though, with three third sets ultimately forced.
Ballotta put the Bruins back on top when he was able to hold off Melchior Delloye for a 6-1, 7-5 win on Court 5. Ballotta's break in the final game prevented a tiebreaker. Hoogmartens celebrated his return to the singles lineup with a bounce-back performance, overcoming Jachuck for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 result โ and 3-1 lead โ on Court 4.
Harvard's response began when Murali outlasted Jorge Plans Gonzalez 6-1, 7-5 on Court 6. That turned eyes toward the stadium courts, where neighboring matchups would decide the overall outcome. Revelli jumped out to a 5-2 advantage in his third set with Henry von der Schulenberg, who did not go quietly. The Crimson senior charged back to take the final five games and 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 victory on Court 2.
With the ball in his court, Johnson started his own comeback from 1-4. Tasked with taking down No. 104 Milavsky, he had already erased a 2-5 difference in their second-set tiebreaker on Court 3. Johnson chipped away by first securing a hold. A break followed, getting the match back on serve and momentum squarely in Johnson's corner. He never looked back, completing his five-game run and 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 win with an ace.
ย
Ice in his veins.#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/iK3uno2HJj
โ UCLA Men's Tennis (@uclatennis) March 18, 2024
UCLA next begins Pac-12 play Friday, March 22, when No. 22 Arizona State visits LATC. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. PT.
Tennis Match Results
Harvard vs UCLA
3/17/2024 at Los Angeles, CA
(Los Angeles Tennis Center)
#29 UCLA 4, #10 Harvard 3
Singles competition
1. #13 Cooper Williams (HARV) def. #28 Govind Nanda (UCLA) 6-2, 6-2
2. Henry von der Schulenberg (HARV) def. Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
3. Spencer Johnson (UCLA) def. #104 Daniel Milavsky (HARV) 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
4. Alexander Hoogmartens (UCLA) def. Ronan Jachuck (HARV) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
5. Gianluca Ballotta (UCLA) def. Melchior Delloye (HARV) 6-1, 7-5
6. Rohan Murali (HARV) def. Jorge Plans Gonzalez (UCLA) 6-1, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Timothy Li/Giacomo Revelli (UCLA) vs. Ronan Jachuck/Cooper Williams (HARV) 5-4, unfinished
2. Spencer Johnson/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) def. David Lins/Daniel Milavsky (HARV) 6-3
3. Alexander Hoogmartens/Govind Nanda (UCLA) def. Masato Perera/Alan Yim (HARV) 6-3
Match Notes:
Harvard 13-5; National ranking #10
UCLA 7-4; National ranking #29
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (1,5,4,6,2,3)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2
#1 Singles Match
12
Cooper Williams / 0 (13/-) [HARV]
66
22
#2 Singles Match
123
von der Schulenberg / 0 [HARV]
647
265
#3 Singles Match
123
Daniel Milavsky / 0 (104/-) [HARV]
664
476
#4 Singles Match
123
Ronan Jachuck / 0 [HARV]
622
366
#5 Singles Match
12
Melchior Delloye / 0 [HARV]
15
67
#6 Singles Match
12
Rohan Murali / 0 [HARV]
67
15
Order of Finish:
1,5,4,6,2,3
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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