Texas Tech University Athletics
Thursday, May 25
Athens, Ga.
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Men's Tennis Remains Undefeated at NCAA Championships
May 25, 2017 | Men's Tennis
Jolan Cailleau along with Connor Curry and Bjorn Thomson register comeback victories to storm into the Round of 16 at the NCAA Championships.
ATHENS, Ga. – Jolan Cailleau of the Texas Tech men's tennis team erased three match points and battled to a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory against Emil Reinberg of Georgia in Thursday's Round of 32 at the 2017 NCAA Singles Championships at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on the University of Georgia campus.
The win enabled Cailleau to become the fifth player in program history to earn ITA All-American status in singles by qualifying for the Round of the 16. The Belgium native joins the illustrious company of Raony Carvalho (2010), Gonzalo Escobar (2012) and Felipe Soares (2015, 2016).
Cailleau is the first Texas Tech player to win his first two matches at the NCAA Singles Championships, and the only other time a Red Raider came back from a set down at the NCAA Singles Championships was Bojan Szumanskki during his Round of 64 match in 2007.
Cailleau's opponent in Friday's Round of 16 will be No. 13 Skander Mansouri of Wake Forest who knocked off East Tennessee State's David Biosca in a 6-4, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (1) decision.
Facing a 5-4 deficit and a 40-15 hole, Cailleau stormed back with three consecutive points to stay alive and secure the tying break. He held his serve to go ahead 6-5 and raced out to a 40-15 lead on Reinberg's next service game. Then, Cailleau cranked a forehand up the line and charged in for the match-clinching smash at the net.
"I'm proud of the way Jo was able to just compete," Texas Tech head coach Brett Masi said. "He competed better at the end of the match when he was down, and it paid off in a big way for him. I'm proud of him for hanging in there. Jolan is in a special group of players at Texas Tech as an All-American, and I couldn't be happier for him."
Reinberg tucked away the first three games of the opening set to claim a double break advantage. Cailleau nearly worked his way back even, but Reinberg managed to hold on for the 6-4 victory.
After a 45-minute rain delay midway through set two, the two players exchanged breaks in back-to-back games following the stoppage. Cailleau kept the pressure on his opponent by holding serve and grabbed a 6-5 edge. He executed a crosscourt backhand passing shot to perfection which forced a Reinberg volley into the net to capture the break and finish off the 7-5 triumph.
In doubles, Connor Curry and Bjorn Thomson fought back for a 0-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6) victory versus Virginia Tech's Jai Corbett and Henrik Korsgaard. The duo takes on No. 2 seeded and No. 3 ranked Martin Redlicki and Evan Zhu of UCLA during Friday's Round of 16.
"Virginia Tech played extremely well in that first set," Masi said. "We were able to make some adjustments, and it paid off. I thought Connor and Bjorn kept their cool which was the most crucial thing. They started playing well down the stretch and executed on the big points to win that match."
All matches at the 2017 NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships will have free video available at www.GeorgiaDogs.com.
Visit www.TexasTech.com for the latest news and information on the Texas Tech men's tennis program. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.facebook.com/Techmenstennis and @TexasTechTennis on Twitter.
2017 NCAA Singles Championships – Thursday, May 25
Round of 32
No. 21 Jolan Cailleau (TTU) defeats No. 59 Emil Reinberg (UGA): 4-6, 7-5, 7-5
2017 NCAA Singles Championships – Friday, May 26
Round of 16
No. 21 Jolan Cailleau (TTU) vs. No. 13 Skander Mansouri (WF)
2017 NCAA Doubles Championships – Thursday, May 25
Round of 32
No. 18 Connor Curry/Bjorn Thomson (TTU) defeats No. 24 Jai Corbett/Henrik Korsgaard (VT): 0-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6)
2017 NCAA Doubles Championships – Friday, May 26
Round of 16
No. 18 Connor Curry/Bjorn Thomson (TTU) vs. No. 3 Martin Redlicki/Evan Zhu (UCLA)
The win enabled Cailleau to become the fifth player in program history to earn ITA All-American status in singles by qualifying for the Round of the 16. The Belgium native joins the illustrious company of Raony Carvalho (2010), Gonzalo Escobar (2012) and Felipe Soares (2015, 2016).
Cailleau is the first Texas Tech player to win his first two matches at the NCAA Singles Championships, and the only other time a Red Raider came back from a set down at the NCAA Singles Championships was Bojan Szumanskki during his Round of 64 match in 2007.
Cailleau's opponent in Friday's Round of 16 will be No. 13 Skander Mansouri of Wake Forest who knocked off East Tennessee State's David Biosca in a 6-4, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (1) decision.
Facing a 5-4 deficit and a 40-15 hole, Cailleau stormed back with three consecutive points to stay alive and secure the tying break. He held his serve to go ahead 6-5 and raced out to a 40-15 lead on Reinberg's next service game. Then, Cailleau cranked a forehand up the line and charged in for the match-clinching smash at the net.
"I'm proud of the way Jo was able to just compete," Texas Tech head coach Brett Masi said. "He competed better at the end of the match when he was down, and it paid off in a big way for him. I'm proud of him for hanging in there. Jolan is in a special group of players at Texas Tech as an All-American, and I couldn't be happier for him."
Reinberg tucked away the first three games of the opening set to claim a double break advantage. Cailleau nearly worked his way back even, but Reinberg managed to hold on for the 6-4 victory.
After a 45-minute rain delay midway through set two, the two players exchanged breaks in back-to-back games following the stoppage. Cailleau kept the pressure on his opponent by holding serve and grabbed a 6-5 edge. He executed a crosscourt backhand passing shot to perfection which forced a Reinberg volley into the net to capture the break and finish off the 7-5 triumph.
In doubles, Connor Curry and Bjorn Thomson fought back for a 0-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6) victory versus Virginia Tech's Jai Corbett and Henrik Korsgaard. The duo takes on No. 2 seeded and No. 3 ranked Martin Redlicki and Evan Zhu of UCLA during Friday's Round of 16.
"Virginia Tech played extremely well in that first set," Masi said. "We were able to make some adjustments, and it paid off. I thought Connor and Bjorn kept their cool which was the most crucial thing. They started playing well down the stretch and executed on the big points to win that match."
All matches at the 2017 NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships will have free video available at www.GeorgiaDogs.com.
Visit www.TexasTech.com for the latest news and information on the Texas Tech men's tennis program. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.facebook.com/Techmenstennis and @TexasTechTennis on Twitter.
2017 NCAA Singles Championships – Thursday, May 25
Round of 32
No. 21 Jolan Cailleau (TTU) defeats No. 59 Emil Reinberg (UGA): 4-6, 7-5, 7-5
2017 NCAA Singles Championships – Friday, May 26
Round of 16
No. 21 Jolan Cailleau (TTU) vs. No. 13 Skander Mansouri (WF)
2017 NCAA Doubles Championships – Thursday, May 25
Round of 32
No. 18 Connor Curry/Bjorn Thomson (TTU) defeats No. 24 Jai Corbett/Henrik Korsgaard (VT): 0-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6)
2017 NCAA Doubles Championships – Friday, May 26
Round of 16
No. 18 Connor Curry/Bjorn Thomson (TTU) vs. No. 3 Martin Redlicki/Evan Zhu (UCLA)
Players Mentioned
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