PROVO -- BYU ended the Utah Tennis Fall Classic on top Saturday as sophomore Thomas Shubert earned the singles title. The all-Cougar doubles final was postponed because of time constraints.
Head coach Brad Pearce and former player Jonathan Sanchez will compete against sophomores Shubert and A.J. Young Monday to determine this year’s doubles winners.
Shubert qualified for the singles finals when opponent and teammate Cassidy Mears withdrew from the match after sustaining a forearm injury during play Friday. Hodel secured his place in a hard-fought three-set match against Pearce.
“I was excited to play Hodel,” Shubert said. “I had never faced him before and I wanted to test out my skills.”
The first set went back-and-forth before Shubert was able to pull ahead and take the lead. Hodel, who finished his first match only 45 minutes before, started to show signs of fatigue in the second set. Shubert took advantage, handily defeated his Boise State opponent 6-2 and clinched the win.
“I gained confidence with each match until I could play the game I wanted to,” Shubert said.
Pearce said he was disappointed not to have defended his title but thought the tournament was a success overall.
“We had great energy and enthusiasm,” Pearce said. “It gave our guys the opportunity to see what level they need to get to in order to be competitive.”
For more information about the tournament, Click here.
The team will continue its fall season in October at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s All-American Championships.