UCLA tennis serves defeat to USC in Pac-12 championship

OJAI, Calif. — Karue Sell knew that his first serve landed just outside the service box. But with the line judge slightly delayed in making a call, Sell began to vocalize his joy anyway after what would have been the conclusion of a 2-5 comeback and straight-set match win.

Sell went back to the baseline for his second serve only to eventually lose the game and find himself in a tiebreaker.

“He doesn’t want it!” comprised much of the banter between the courtside reserves and staff of UCLA and USC. The Trojans amplified their use of the phrase in response to Sell’s gaffe.

His racket toss and explosion of leg shuffles and stamps showed just how much Sell did desire what became a 7-4 tiebreaker triumph. Unbeknownst to him in that very instance, his celebration proved wholly appropriate. The win, which included Sell fighting off numerous set points early to stave off a third set, clinched No. 5 UCLA’s second straight Pac-12 championship over No. 1 USC (26-3).

“I really didn’t know what the hell was happening on the rest of the courts. I was … so into my match at the end, so it was like, I finished, (but) I didn’t even know (the team match) was clinched,” said Sell, a redshirt sophomore.

The lower half of the ladder accounted for all of UCLA’s singles points. Freshman Gage Brymer struck first for the Bruins on court four, while court six provided perhaps the day’s most surprising UCLA sight.

On the court adjacent to Sell and just seconds before the UCLA victory, Adrien Puget won the first singles match he played in 11 months to put the Bruins up 3-2.

The insertion of Puget into the singles ladder almost literally occurred at the last minute.

Coach Billy Martin asked Puget whether he wanted to play after UCLA (22-3) captured the doubles point, which included an 8-3 win by Puget and Sell on court two. The senior co-captain took some time to think the matter over. He ultimately decided to seize the opportunity on court six.

A big serve remained in Puget’s arsenal throughout his match, helping to pave the way for a 6-4, 6-1 win in which he knew shorter points would best serve his interests.

Puget admitted to starting out with little confidence. Assistant coach Grant Chen, the only UCLA coach watching the two matches a few minutes away from the rest of the team and the majority of the crowd, saw as much. Puget’s body language and footwork told Chen that a great performance was not to be.

Yet as the match progressed, Puget began to pick up his play and develop a game plan.

“He had that look in his eyes, to really make it happen,” Chen said.

As he concluded play, Puget said he believed that he actually owned the clinching point. But Puget had no strong feelings over exactly how UCLA knotted up its season series with USC at 2-2.

Though the unexpected nature of his play tempered excitement over his win, he appreciated the ability to return to full-time action.

“I’m glad to be back, and it’s a great feeling,” Puget said.