Tennis Vols back in NCAAs

#27
#27
GoVols2003 said:
Tennessee is going to have to get victories from JP, Rhyne, and Tennys the rest of the way out, IMO. 4-6 has been a little more shaky this year vs. last. They have the talent, but I feel like they may be one player a way from winning it all. That one player was probably the kid that Idian who turned pro after his RS year last season.

On another note, one of Tennessee's incoming signees has a McEnroe esque temper. He is a top player though, as is the other signee.
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Agree 100%... We can't afford to lose doubles point or for JP or Rhyne to lose. I feel confident that Tennys or Conkic can close the deal, but feel a lot less confident with Jones and Mateo at 5 and 6 than I did last year with Davey, Tennys, and Mateo... We can do it, but we can't afford to lose certain spots this year like we could last year.
 
#28
#28
VolsDeep said:
Agree 100%... We can't afford to lose doubles point or for JP or Rhyne to lose. I feel confident that Tennys or Conkic can close the deal, but feel a lot less confident with Jones and Mateo at 5 and 6 than I did last year with Davey, Tennys, and Mateo... We can do it, but we can't afford to lose certain spots this year like we could last year.
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I agree with all this. I really really like Tennys at the #3. He's been solid all year.
 
#33
#33
Conkic had his serve broke near the end... Smith is as clutch as they come in ncaa doubles... Not looking too good right now though. Fago just lost first set. We need Jones to pull it out, it's 5-5 first set right now.. Smith is cruising.
 
#34
#34
I have a feeling this is going to be a 4-3 turnout one way or the other. One thing is certain though, I'm not getting ANY work done today lol
 
#35
#35
Jones takes first set in a tiebreak 7-6 (7-5)!!!! Rhyne in a tiebreak right now.. Cueto is one helluva player.
 
#36
#36
Vols come up big in Tiebreaks!!! Jones, Williams, and Sandgren all win... Sandgren's tiebreak was great. We're lookin good!
 
#37
#37
We pulled it out!! But man, it was close... Big props to Ed Jones and Boris Conkic. Both came up with real big wins today!
 
#38
#38
Yeah, we brought the thunder in singles. But that's part of what makes our team so good. Ed Jones has been money the last two matches. He is rolling at that 6 spot. I don't see us losing the 2 or 3 spots to anybody. The doubles point is key, though. That was weak sauce on our part to not get it today. But, on the bright side, maybe Smith/Concik were due a shaky match and got it out of their system.
 
#39
#39
kidbourbon said:
Yeah, we brought the thunder in singles. But that's part of what makes our team so good. Ed Jones has been money the last two matches. He is rolling at that 6 spot. I don't see us losing the 2 or 3 spots to anybody. The doubles point is key, though. That was weak sauce on our part to not get it today. But, on the bright side, maybe Smith/Concik were due a shaky match and got it out of their system.
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yeah, i agree. doubles point will be huge moving forward... That match today could have turned out much different if we hadn't won the 3 tiebreakers in singles.... Fago worries me, esp if we play USC and definitely against UVA.... I like that JP Smith seems to be playing better than he did this time last year (i watched them last year when they played ETSU and i forget the other team in the regionals and he definitely wasn't playing his best tennis)... we need him to continue to play well singles and doubles..

I'm praying Ga Tech is able to push USC to the limit, but personally i think we are better than USC. UVA is a different story.
 
#40
#40
I think the 2 week break between the SEC's and NCAA's was beneficial to TN. They played a challenging fall schedule and then a pretty grueling Spring schedule, so the break was good to allow them time to physically recover and mentally refocus.
 
#41
#41
VolsDeep said:
yeah, i agree. doubles point will be huge moving forward... That match today could have turned out much different if we hadn't won the 3 tiebreakers in singles.... Fago worries me, esp if we play USC and definitely against UVA.... I like that JP Smith seems to be playing better than he did this time last year (i watched them last year when they played ETSU and i forget the other team in the regionals and he definitely wasn't playing his best tennis)... we need him to continue to play well singles and doubles..

I'm praying Ga Tech is able to push USC to the limit, but personally i think we are better than USC. UVA is a different story.
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Cosign-in-full. I agree with every single point you made. We're in the minority on your point that I put in bold, but we're right.
 
#42
#42
Rhyne Williams was clutch yesterday in singles as well. It's a good thing he finished his guy out when he did because if I recall, UT was losing badly in third set in one match, and in a close match (up set, on serve in second) in the remaining contest.

Yesterday may turn out to be what the doctored ordered, but it was much much closer than the final indicates.
 
#43
#43
Ga. Tech really go pummeled by USC. If UT can defeat UGA for a 3rd time this spring, its going to be very tough against USC. Johnson was tough for Smith last year and their #3 is going to be tough match for Sandgren, IMO.
 
#44
#44
GoVols2003 said:
Ga. Tech really go pummeled by USC. If UT can defeat UGA for a 3rd time this spring, its going to be very tough against USC. Johnson was tough for Smith last year and their #3 is going to be tough match for Sandgren, IMO.
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Sandgren won't lose at #3. That's the one thing I'm most sure of.

I think UT and USC are neck and neck. I think we'll beat them if we advance past UGA.

But the freaking elephant in the room here is UVA. Did y'all see what they did to Illinois? Complete annihilation (sp?). Just destroyed them. I don't now if anybody is beating those guys this year.
 
#45
#45
GoVols2003 said:
Ga. Tech really go pummeled by USC. If UT can defeat UGA for a 3rd time this spring, its going to be very tough against USC. Johnson was tough for Smith last year and their #3 is going to be tough match for Sandgren, IMO.
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The fact that Johnson is playing #2 dubs seems odd to me... I think we take the doubles point (I'd bank on #1 and #3, although we could sweep)... I think #2 singles, #3 singles, and #6 singles would be our best bet for winning against them, although I wouldn't bet against Conkic at #4 (remember he played #2 last year) and Smith is playing some of his best tennis right now.... Again, anything can happen, but I don't think they have any "sure" wins outside of possibly #5....

Similarly, I don't know of any "sure" wins we have if we get to play UVA in the finals. I will say that watching #1 and #2 courts play singles would be absolutely amazing... Would love to see how JP and Rhyne play against Shabaz and Domijian...IIRC, didn't we get doubles point from them earlier in the year? and that was without tennys in the doubles lineup.. I might be wrong, but I remember looking at our matchup with them in the Fall, and the actual matchup wasn't AS BAD as the final score.
 
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#46
#46
VolsDeep said:
The fact that Johnson is playing #2 dubs seems odd to me... I think we take the doubles point (I'd bank on #1 and #3, although we could sweep)... I think #2 singles, #3 singles, and #6 singles would be our best bet for winning against them, although I wouldn't bet against Conkic at #4 (remember he played #2 last year) and Smith is playing some of his best tennis right now.... Again, anything can happen, but I don't think they have any "sure" wins outside of possibly #5....

Similarly, I don't know of any "sure" wins we have if we get to play UVA in the finals. I will say that watching #1 and #2 courts play singles would be absolutely amazing... Would love to see how JP and Rhyne play against Shabaz and Domijian...IIRC, didn't we get doubles point from them earlier in the year? and that was without tennys in the doubles lineup.. I might be wrong, but I remember looking at our matchup with them in the Fall, and the actual matchup wasn't AS BAD as the final score.
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If TN is fortunate enough to make it to the Finals, I would be pulling for anyone else except UVA. TN and more specifically have not faired well against UVA.

I agree with pretty much everything else though. Williams is solid at #2, Sandgren seems a little more apt to handle the bright lights in the tourney vs. last years USC match, and Boris gives a good #4 option. I know that JP can beat Johnson, but I just think that its the type of player that typically gives JP problems.

I hope that Williams and Sandgren return next season. The team would fall maybe a hair, but could still be a contender. It will be interesting to see who of JP, Williams, or Sandgren will be the better Pro. I would lean more towards one of the latter two, but not sure which one.
 
#48
#48
Tennessee wins @ #1 and #3 Doubles to take the Doubles point and lead UGA 1-0.

Will need 3 singles wins to move on to the National Semifinal
 
#49
#49
VolsDeep said:
just took the doubles point! And UK is close to taking the doubles point from USC!!!!
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It seem like when it was so tight in game #11 on Ct 1 and Game #9 on Cts 2&3, Tennessee just decided to turn it on and take over.

I could not take to much more of the UGA player on #2 screaming like he was being stabbed each time they won a point.
 
#50
#50
GoVols2003 said:
It seem like when it was so tight in game #11 on Ct 1 and Game #9 on Cts 2&3, Tennessee just decided to turn it on and take over.

I could not take to much more of the UGA player on #2 screaming like he was being stabbed each time they won a point.
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hahaha, i hear ya! i love being able to watch it online....

oh! and I hear ya about being curious to see how they each turn out in the professional ranks... Rhyne definitely has the most complete package, but in his junior years had a tendency to fall apart mentally... I haven't followed him closely enough since he's been at UT to know if he has gotten better there... To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if JP has the best professional career - I think he has a chance to be a consistent player in doubles, probably not singles... I'm a little biased though b/c I love JP's style, his composure, and the fact that he looks nothing like a typical tennis player lol... UK and USC are having a fight at dubs on ct 1!
 
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