No. 31 USF to Face No. 32 Duke in NCAA First Round
TAMPA, Fla., May 7, 2021 – The No. 31 University of South Florida men's tennis team will take on No. 32 Duke in the NCAA tournament on Saturday. The Bulls travel north to Gainesville, Fla. to face the Blue Devils on Saturday, May 8 at 10 a.m. in the opening round. The victor will face the winner of No. 2 Florida and South Alabama on Sunday at 2 p.m.
USF (16-9) is coming off a tough loss in the American Athletic Conference championship to rival No. 9 UCF, 0-4. USF advanced past No. 44 Tulsa in the first round, 4-2, and No. 46 SMU in the semifinals, 4-2 to reach their seventh consecutive final round.
Additionally, the NCAA released its 2021 Division I men's tennis championship singles and doubles selection bids, placing doubles tandem No. 24
Rithvik Bollipalli and
Jakub Wojcik (9-7) and singles standout No. 47 Wojcik (17-6) on the roster.
Scouting Duke
The No. 32 Blue Devils finished their regular season 11-9 and went 2-6 versus ranked opponents. Duke currently touts two ranked singles players, No. 74 Garrett Johns and No. 119 Edu Guell, and one doubles pair, No. 20 Sean Sculley and Johns. The Blue Devils fell in the ACC quarterfinals to No. 9 Wake Forest, 0-4.
The Bulls last met Duke in 2017 during the first round of the NCAA tournament. The matchup concluded with a 4-0 victory in favor of USF.
Quotable
Head coach Ashley Fisher on this weekend….
"We are excited to go and do what we do best which is compete like warriors. We are very comfortable playing in Gainesville and have a group of hungry players ready to feast."
Ticket Information
Tickets may be purchased in advance or on each day of the tournament. An all-session pass is $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, college students, and children under 12. Single day tickets for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens, college students, and children under 12.
Gates will open for fans one hour prior to the start of the first competition each day. Please note that seating is on a first come, first served basis. No saving of seats will be permitted.
Based on updated recommendations from the NCAA's COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group local guidelines for fan attendance, not to exceed 50% of the venue capacity, at outdoor NCAA Championships will be followed.
For ticket information please visit https://am.ticketmaster.com/gators/TennisNCAA#/ or call us at 352-375-4683.
2021 Tennis at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex
- There are designated seating blocks for groups of two and four indicated by orange seats in the stands to ensure proper physical distancing. Each block has three feet of distance on all sides.
- The first rows of each section are blocked off to create a clear and safer walkway for guests.
- In accordance with campus guidelines, face coverings (over the nose and mouth) will be required of all guests throughout the entire match. Failure to comply with this important health guideline could result in loss of attendance privileges.
- The complex features new signage to help reinforce safety measures and will also feature an increased number of hand sanitizer stations.
- Fans are encouraged to utilize clear bags to reduce touch points for entry gate staff.
- In the event of inclement weather, patrons, with exception to a small number of individuals on the player guest list, will not be allowed into the indoor facility.
- Access to the tennis building or the court is not permitted for any patrons.
- No outside food or drink is allowed in the complex and the concession stand will remain open.
About Men's Tennis
Be sure to follow USF men's tennis on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.?Head coach?Ashley Fisher?will begin his fifth year at the helm of the program for the 2021 season.
– #GoBulls –
