No. 42 USF Men’s Tennis Advances to 15th NCAA Tournament; Face No. 31 Miami (Fla.) in First Round
2022 NCAA TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS – GAINESVILLE, FLA
NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKET: Click
here for the tournament bracket
WHAT: 2022 NCAA Tournament First Round
WHEN: Friday, May 6, 2022
MATCHUP: No. 42 South Florida (14-10) vs. No. 31 Miami (Fla.) (16-9)
TIME: 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Gainesville, Fla.
SITE: University of Florida Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex
TAMPA (May 2, 2022) – The University of South Florida men's tennis team learned its postseason fate for the upcoming 2022 NCAA Tournament during Monday night's selection show, earning one of the American Athletic Conference's four bids. The Green and Gold join AAC Tournament champion SMU, who received the conference's automatic bid, in addition to Memphis and Tulsa who, along with South Florida, earned at-large bids.
The Bulls are advancing to their 15
th NCAA Tournament in program history and face No. 31-ranked Miami (Fla.) in the first round at the University of Florida's Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville on Friday at 2 p.m. The winner will face the winner of the match between second-seeded and No. 2-ranked Florida and New Orleans in the second round on Saturday at 5 p.m.
"We were playing elimination tennis down the stretch and we had a feeling that might have been the case," said South Florida Head Coach
Ashley Fisher. "I'm really proud of the boys and the way they were able to lift those last six matches. They got better every match and it will be exciting to see how they do this weekend."
South Florida has taken part in six of the last seven NCAA Tournaments and during that stretch, the Bulls have advanced to at least the second round in all six. Their best finish came during the 2015 campaign when they faced Baylor in the Round of 16. South Florida is 11-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
Last year, the Bulls defeated Duke in their first-round match in Gainesville before falling to Florida in the regional final.
South Florida's All-Time in NCAA Tournament Appearances
1996 – Auburn 4, USF 0
1998 – Tennessee 4, USF 1
1999 – USF 4, N.C. State 2; Florida 4, USF 1
2001 – USF 4, South Carolina 3; UCLA 4, USF 0
2002 – USF 4, Miami 1; Florida 4, USF 3
2003 – USF 4, Georgia 0; Texas A&M, 4, USF 1
2008 – Miami 4, USF 1
2009 – Auburn 4, USF 0
2014 – USF 4, Florida State 2; Florida 4, USF 0
2015 – USF 4, Boise State 0; USF 4, Virginia Tech 0; Baylor 4, USF 1
2016 – USF 4, St. John's 0; Florida 4, USF 0
2017 – USF 4, Duke 0; Georgia 4, USF 1
2019 – USF 4, Alabama 3; Texas 4, USF 1
2020 – No tournament held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 – USF 4, Duke 2; Florida 4, USF 1
South Florida comes into the NCAA Tournament having won six of its last seven matches, and 12 of the last 17, since starting the season 2-5. The Bulls advanced to the American Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals for the eighth time, facing top-seeded and No. 26-ranked SMU. The Green and Gold ended Central Florida's season in the quarterfinals, 4-3.
In singles,
Alvin Tudorica is one of four players that have won double-digit matches this season, boasting a stellar 15-5 record, and a 14-3 mark in his last 17 outings. He had his 14-match winning streak ended with a 4-6, 5-7 setback against Central Florida on April 14. Tudorica is 9-0 on court five and 5-3 on court four.
Joining Tudorica with 10-plus wins is
Antonio Muniz with a 14-9 record, including a 12-7 record on court three, and
Sergio Gomez Montesa with a 12-8 record – 5-2 on court five and 2-0 on court three.
Ivan Yatsuk is 11-11 this season winning 10 of his 11 matches on courts one and two.
On the doubles side, Gomez Montesa and Tudorica boast a team-high 15 wins in doubles (15-6) with all 15 victories coming on court three.
In addition, the No. 38-ranked pair of
Rithvik Bollipalli and
Bruno Oliveira are 10-9 on the year, having played all 19 matches on court one.
Tickets may be purchased in advance or on each day of the tournament. An all-session pass is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for senior citizens, college students, and children under 12. Single day tickets for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for senior citizens, college students, and children under 12.
Spectators interested in purchasing advance all-session tickets may do so by contacting the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683
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.
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 sixth year at the helm of the program for the 2022 season.
– #GoBulls –
