TCU Sweeps Arkansas in NCAA First Round

Saturday, May 8

Fort Worth, Texas

12 PM

TCU

Arkansas

Luc Fomba and Alastair Gray NCAA Round 1 2021

TCU Sweeps Arkansas in NCAA First Round

5/8/2021 5:24:00 PM | Men's Tennis

The Horned Frogs sweep No. 43 Arkansas to advance into the NCAA Tournament 2nd round

FORT WORTH – No. 7 TCU men's tennis (17-7) advanced into the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 4-0 sweep over No. 43 Arkansas on Saturday afternoon at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center in Fort Worth. TCU won all five completed matches on the day (two doubles and three singles) to advance into the second round for the sixth year in a row and the 21^st time in program history.

The Horned Frogs will take on No. 20 Arizona State in the second round, tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. Tickets are available at the gate.

"Anytime you win in the post season, it's a great win," head coach David Roditi said. "Especially against a team like Arkansas who's had two Top 8 wins this season. I have a lot of respect for their coach, Andy Jackson. I can only think of two coaches that have coached more Top 10 teams than him. We knew we had our hands full. It was about our guys coming out and being ready to compete, which I thought they were. Thanks to the fans for coming out, I thought it was a great atmosphere and a beautiful day. We came out with great energy in doubles to get the doubles point. Then we kept it going in singles, getting four first sets. Great performance by Alastair [Gray], really good win by Tadeas [Paroulek] as well. And then, we fought. We fought in the matches that we were down and gave our guys a chance to win and then Fomba came through with the clinch. He battled through some good moments and bad moments, it wasn't easy out there with the breeze, but Fomba finally made the guy play enough tennis and was able to pull it off. So tomorrow, we have Arizona State. It's going to be a huge match. Here we go. The road to Orlando. Go Frogs!!"

Tadeas Paroulek was the lone Frog to earn two victories today, winning in both singles and doubles. Three Horned Frogs made their NCAA Tournament debut. Paroulek went 2-0, Jake Fearnley won his doubles match and was in front, 4-1 in his third set of singles when the match was clinched and Tomas Jirousek was into his third set in singles play as well when Fomba clinched the TCU victory at No. 2.

DOUBLES QUICK HITS

The Horned Frogs won the doubles point for the 16^th time this season, using wins from No. 2 and No. 3.
Fearnley and Kruger secured their fifth win together as a doubles team, getting a late break to go in front, 5-3. Then polishing off the set with a hold to win, 6-3.
They improve to 5-3 as a pairing and 3-1 at the No. 3 slot. They have won four of their last five matches together as a pair, including a 2-1 record in the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments combined.
Fearnley is now 11-5 in doubles play and Kruger improves to 7-6 this season.
Sander Jong and Tadeas Paroulek clinched the doubles point with their fifth straight victory together, a 6-3 decision at No. 2.
This was their second ranked win together this season, taking down the no. 83 ranked pairing from Arkansas. They are now 2-1 vs. ranked pairings this season and 3-3 together vs. ranked opponents in their career as a doubles team.
They improve to 12-4 as a pairing this season and 9-1 at the No. 2 position.
Jong/Paroulek have not lost a doubles match together since March 17, 52 days.
TCU is now 37-21 in doubles matches this season and 6-1 in post season play (Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments).

Doubles Results
1. #2 Alastair Gray/Luc Fomba (TCU) vs. #49 Hunter Harrison/Enrique Paya (AR) 5-4, unfinished
2. Sander Jong/Tadeas Paroulek (TCU) def. #83 Adrien Burdet/Melvin Manuel (AR) 6-3
3. Bertus Kruger/Jake Fearnley (TCU) def. Alex Reco/Nico Rousset (AR) 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 2

SINGLES QUICK HITS

TCU clinched the sweep with victories at No. 6, 1 and 2, all in straight sets.
Alastair Gray started the wins with a tidy 6-2, 6-3 victory at the No. 1 spot.
It was his team-leading 15^th singles victory of the season and his eighth at No. 1.
He is now 3-2 over his career in NCAA Tournament singles matches.
Tadeas Paroulek recorded his first-career NCAA Tournament singles victory at No. 6: 6-0, 7-6(4).
He improves to 8-12 this season and 2-3 at No. 6.
He secured his second 6-0 set of the season in his opening set before winning his first-career tiebreaker in the second, improving to 1-2 in tiebreakers this season and 1-4 over his career.
Fomba clinched the match at No. 2, grabbing a late break in his second set to go in front, 6-5, and holding serve for the victory: 6-4, 7-5.
He improves to 13-6 in singles play this season and 8-3 at the No. 2 spot.
Nine of his 13 victories this season have come in straight sets, including each of his last three victories.
TCU is now 68-45 in singles matches this season and 8-4 in post season play (Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments).

Singles Results
1. #12 Alastair Gray (TCU) def. Alex Reco (AR) 6-2, 6-3
2. #17 Luc Fomba (TCU) def. Maxim Verboven (AR) 6-4, 7-5
3. #65 Sander Jong (TCU) vs. #71 Nico Rousset (AR) 3-6, 5-4, unfinished
4. #110 Jake Fearnley (TCU) vs. Aleksa Bucan (AR) 2-6, 6-1, 4-1, unfinished
5. #94 Tomas Jirousek (TCU) vs. Adrien Burdet (AR) 6-1, 4-6, unfinished
6. Tadeas Paroulek (TCU) def. Melvin Manuel (AR) 6-0, 7-6 (7-4)
Order of Finish: 1, 6, 2

For more information on TCU men's tennis, visit gofrogs.com and follow the team on social media: @TCUMensTennis on twitter, Facebook and the all new men's tennis Instagram.