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UCLA men’s tennis hosts Eastern Kentucky in opening round of NCAA regional play

UCLA No. 6 Men’s Tennis team defeats No. 12 University of California 7-0 at Los Angeles Tennis Center.

Men's Tennis

Eastern Kentucky
Saturday, noon
Los Angeles Tennis Center
Live stats online

By the Numbers:

4
The seed UCLA has in the NCAA tournament

17
The number of titles the team would have if it wins the NCAA championship this year

By Andy Thompson

May 11, 2012 12:37 a.m.

UCLA’s Wilson “˜Extra Duty’ practice tennis balls are worn out and well on their way to becoming fluorescent slippers for school desks and fetch toys for Dobermans.

The No. 4 UCLA men’s tennis team has had a two-week practice spree leading up to the NCAA tournament.

Redshirt junior Alex Brigham is prepared to finally be able to play someone he’s not on a first name basis with.

“I think the layoff has given us a little spark and an energy boost to face the challenge of the teams in the NCAAs this weekend,” he said.

The Bruins will host Eastern Kentucky at the Los Angeles Tennis Center Saturday. Brigham, who has been atop UCLA’s doubles lineup all year, revels in the chance to play the regional at home.

“We don’t have to worry about distractions,” he said. “If we were playing at another school, you have people yelling that you’re going to double fault, or choke. I just feel like we are more comfortable at home.”

If UCLA wins on Saturday, they will play the winner of the match between Fresno State and the University of San Diego on Sunday for the right to advance to Athens, Georgia for the round of 16.

Assistant coach Krzysztof Kwinta knows the difficulty of the journey that lies ahead, especially if the Bruins earn the right to play in the steamy Georgian air at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.

“It is something unlike anything else you experience throughout the season. You try and resemble the conditions there with the sweatsuit (coach Billy Martin) is using, and trying to practice twice whenever we can,” Kwinta said. “At the end of the tournament it’s a power of will more so than just your talent.”

UCLA benefits from having played in one of the most competitive conferences in the country this year. The Pac-12 finished with four teams in the nation’s top 15.

“We were fortunate in the way that the Pac-12 was pretty tough this year. We were able to play some tough individual matches; however, to do it four days in a row, that’s something different,” Kwinta said.

UCLA is on the same side of the bracket as No. 1 USC, and No. 5 Ohio State is in their sectional.

Freshman Dennis Novikov, wise beyond his years, forecasted the Bruins’ tournament path with caution. When asked to analyze UCLA’s route to the Final Four, he said, “We have to win the first two rounds here at home at regionals.”

It’s Eastern Kentucky. And then, one more opponent before the team can have Georgia on their minds.

Cue the Ray Charles.

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