USC dominates ITA Kick-Off Weekend
In the first Intercollegiate Tennis Association action of the spring, the No. 1-ranked USC men’s tennis team defended its home territory in flawless fashion, defeating Louisiana-Lafayette and Santa Clara to top the four-team tournament this past weekend.
“I was really happy with the energy,” head coach Peter Smith said. “On the court, in the stands, I felt like everybody was really involved in the match. It’s so great to have the season start and have the season under way.”
The Trojans beat the Ragin’ Cajuns 4-0 on Jan. 23, the first day of the ITA Kickoff Weekend at Marks Stadium, to advance to the championship round. In doubles, the sophomore pair of Nick Crystal and Connor Farren defeated the Ragin’ Cajuns’ Will Huyton and Jake Wynan 6-2, and the No. 1-ranked doubles duo Yannick Hanfmann and Roberto Quiroz defeated Louisiana’s Jarred Wynan and Coleman Wahlborg 6-3 to put the Trojans up 1-0. Trojan senior Eric Johnson and junior Max de Vroome were leading Edgar Lopez and Damian Farinola 5-4 when play was suspended.
De Vroome and Crystal led the Trojans’ in singles play of the first round. De Vroome dispatched Vlad Kramarov and Crystal routed Huyton, both by tallies of 6-1, 6-1. No. 3-ranked Hanfmann topped Lopez 6-2, 6-2 and with three victories in singles, the Trojans gained three points and completed the sweep of the Ragin’ Cajuns.
De Vroome turned it around and became a big part of the Trojans’ win Friday after what he believes was a slow start.
“I started off a little rusty, made a few mistakes, but then [Krzysztof Kwinta], our assistant coach, came on,” De Vroome said. “He told me to play a little heavier, a little more on the ready. So I stayed back a little more, waited for my opportunities, and I took the chances when I got them.”
In the final of the event on Jan. 24, the Trojans pulled off another sweep against Santa Clara. Hanfmann and Quiroz defeated the Broncos’ Ashot Khacharyan and Ilya Osintsev 6-2 as Johnson and de Vroome took down Mikheil Khmiadashvili and Sam Bertram 6-1, clinching the doubles’ point for the Trojans.
Quiroz finds he and his fellow seniors are trying to make the most of every match in their final year.
“It’s really special for the four seniors playing our last season,” Quiroz said. “We’re really happy to be here and enjoying all the time we’re spending on the courts. We’re just trying to get betting, we’re just starting the season. We have great expectations for the season, so I think we did great today.”
In singles, Crystal continued his dominance with an immaculate match in the final, defeating Michael Standifer 6-0, 6-0. Senior Jonny Wang followed suit with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Khmiadashvili and Johnson rounded out the second sweep with a 6-3, 6-2 win against Sebastian Mathieu.
De Vroome felt his team fed off each other’s energy during the match.
“It’s definitely contagious to play well, seeing each other play well and pumping each other up,” De Vroome said.
With their resounding victory this past weekend, the Trojans clinch a spot at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Chicago, Illinois, next month. Smith has liked what he’s seen from the defending NCAA champions in the early stages of the season.
“I think we’re in a great place,” Smith said. “I think the guys are really looking to get better, they’re really open, really motivated, and they’re getting after it.”
Up next, the Trojans will travel to Athens, Georgia, this weekend to face the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs. Though the season is still young, Quiroz and the Trojans’ minds are already on the long run — defending their throne.
“USC always sets their goals really high,” Quiroz said. “But you know what, we look at the big picture, so we just keep getting better, keep working on our game, and we improve for May, which is our main goal.”