USTA/ITA Regional Tournament Results
PROVO, Utah—BYU sophomore Sean Hill beat No. 3 Ricky Hernandez Tong of New Mexico 6-2, 6-1 to win the singles main draw in the USTA/ITA Mountain Regional tournament Saturday morning.
“This was some of the most amazing tennis,” BYU head coach Brad Pearce said. “I think it was the finest match I’ve seen on our courts—flawless tennis. It’s not as if his opponent didn’t play a solid match because he did. I think Sean would have beaten some of the best players in the world today because he played that well.”
Hill is set to represent BYU and the Mountain Region in the ITA Fall National Championships the first week of November in Indian Wells, California. Hill is the first Cougar to win the singles draw at Regionals.
“I’m feeling awesome because I definitely didn’t expect to win the tournament,” Hill said. “I just took it match-by-match. I’m looking forward to Nationals and hope to win some matches. The team has been so supportive of my first year playing for BYU, and they helped me in my last matches.”
Hill and junior Jeffrey Hsu fought hard but ultimately fell to Tim Handel and Ruben Montano of Northern Arizona 7-6(9-7), 5-7, 10-8 in the semifinals for the doubles draw. Handel and Motano went on to win the doubles main draw, defeating Idaho State's Peter Trhac and David Felix 6-1, 6-4.
In the singles consolation bracket, junior Matthew Pearce fell to Valdemar Holm of Utah State 6-3, 4-6, 10-8.
The Cougars will travel to Los Angeles for the So Cal Intercollegiate Oct. 26-28.