The TCU men’s tennis team began the season on a high note this weekend.
The Frogs’ top player, sophomore All-American and No. 15 in the nation Cameron Norrie, won the Oracle/ITA Masters tournament in Malibu, which featured the top 16 returning players in the country.
Norrie defeated No. 21 Or Ram-Harel of Tulsa 6-4, 6-1 in the first match before upsetting No. 10 Dominik Koepfer of Tulane 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the final. There, he defeated No. 7 Nicolas Alvarez of Duke in straight sets 6-3, 7-6.
“It’s a great feeling to win this tournament,” Norrie said. “Every match here was a battle, including today. I got a little nervous serving for the match, but was able to calm myself and close out a very tough opponent.”
With the win in California this weekend, Norrie can stake a claim as one of the nation’s best players, if not the best.
“I think it is fun that Cameron was able to win the first-ever Oracle/ITA Masters,” head coach David Roditi said. “I am proud of the way he was able to overcome adversity in closing out the championship match.”
No. 19 Guillermo Nuñez also played at The Oracle/ITA Masters tournament for TCU, making it to the quarterfinals before falling to runner-up No. 7 Nicolas Alvarez 3-6, 2-6.
The rest of the team played at the Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational in Midland, Texas, this weekend. Multiple players had varying degrees of success.
TCU’s biggest winner in Midland this weekend was sophomore Trevor Johnson. Johnson quickly defeated Sergio De Vilchz of Wichita State 6-1, 6-2 in the round of 32, then beat Markus Kerner of SMU 6-3, 6-4 in the round of 16.
Johnson downed Connor Curry of Texas Tech 6-0, 6-2 in the quarterfinals and then defeated John Mee of UT 3-6, 6-4,6-4 in the semifinals, before falling in the finals to Harrison Scott of UT 5-7, 4-6 to finish as the Men’s Singles runner-up.
In singles, first-year students Greg Anderson and Reese Stalder each won their first collegiate matches last weekend. Anderson defeated Chase Gordon of Tulsa, 6-3, 7-6, and Stalder overcame Lewis Roskilly of Boise State 6-7, 6-3, 6-0. Junior Trey Daniel lost a tough opening match against Bart Van Leijsen of New Mexico 6-4, 6-7, 10-8.
In doubles, the duo of Daniel and Johnson reached the semifinals before losing to eventual champions Haru Inoue and Miroslav Herzan of Wichita State. Anderson and Stalder advanced to the Round of 16 before losing in a tight one to Van Leijsen and Hayden Sabatka of New Mexico 6-4.
Top players Norrie and Nuñez teamed up in doubles at Malibu as well, losing in the quarterfinals to Luca Corinteli and Ryan Shane of Virginia 3-6, 7-5, 8-10.
The Frogs will return to action on Sept. 24 at the Cajun Tennis Classic in Lafayette, Louisiana.
