The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men’s Tennis sends two to NCAA Singles and Doubles semifinals
11.22.2024 | Men's Tennis
Freshman Timo Legout became the sixth NCAA singles semifinalist in UT history, while Legout and sophomore Lucas Brown gave the Longhorns a doubles semifinalist for the fourth-straight year.
Waco, Texas – Texas Men's Tennis sent one singles player and one doubles pair to the semifinals at the 2024-25 NCAA Men's Tennis Singles and Doubles Championships on Friday in Waco. Freshman Timo Legout became the sixth NCAA singles semifinalist in UT history, while Legout and sophomore Lucas Brown gave the Longhorns a doubles semifinalist for the fourth-straight year and the 10th time overall.
Legout is the first Longhorn to reach the NCAA singles semifinals since Søren Hess-Olesen in 2014 and joins a group that includes David Draper in 1993, Steven Bryan in 1990, Jonny Levine in 1984, and Kevin Curren in 1979. Bryan and Curren went on to win the singles title.
The Texas doubles semifinalists in the last four years include Eliot Spizzirri and Cleeve Harper in both 2023 and 2024, and Harper with Richard Ciamarra in 2022. Harper and Ciamarra won the title, while Spizzirri and Harper were runners-up in 2023 and semifinalists last year. Prior to that, Hess-Olesen and Lloyd Glasspool won the title in 2015, while five other duos finished as runners-up (Chris Camillone and David Holiner, 2013; Chad Clark and Trey Phillips, 1995; Mitch Michulka and Michael Penman, 1990; Charles Beckman and Royce Deppe, 1985; and Gary Plock and Kevin Curren, 1978).
In advancing in singles on Friday, Legout defeated No. 55 Spencer Johnson of UCLA, 6-3, 6-2. Legout secured the only two breaks of the first set, first for a 2-1 lead and then again to win, 6-3, on the set's only deuce point. He also broke Johnson's first service game of the second set as part of a 3-0 run to open it. Much like the first set, Legout claimed the only two breaks with the second coming for the win, 6-2. Legout will next face No. 2 Michael Zheng of Columbia not before 11 a.m. CT on Saturday.
In doubles, Legout and Brown overcame being down a set for the third-straight day as they topped Bryce Nakashima and William Jansen of Ohio State in a superbreaker, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 1-0 (8). Despite four deuce points in the first set, it stayed on serve the entire way to a tiebreaker. The Longhorns held on deuce points for 2-2, 4-4 and 6-6, while the Buckeyes did so 5-4 lead. The breaker began in just the opposite fashion with the first four points resulting in mini-breaks starting with Ohio State's opening serve. That left the score, 2-2, until the Buckeyes held serve for a 3-2 lead. That would be the first of six-straight holds until Ohio State broke again for a 6-5 lead and served out the next point for the 7-5 win.
In the second set, Legout and Brown secured the only break of a regular game in the entire match, doing so on a deuce point for a 4-2 lead. The last three games then stayed on serve to their 6-3 win. There had been one other deuce point in the set that Nakashima and Jansen held for 2-2.
That led to the superbreaker, which appeared to be going the Longhorns' way after they got out to leads of 4-0 and 7-2, along with having two serves coming up at that point. However, the Buckeyes were able to rally with a 5-0 run to tie it. Despite that, Texas would not surrender the lead, picking up a key hold to regain the lead, 8-7, heading into Ohio State's serves. The Buckeyes also held on their first serve, but Brown ripped a return forehand winner down the sideline to break the second serve, and then served out the final point for the victory. Legout and Brown will next face 5-8 seed Pedro Vives and Lui Maxted of TCU not before 1:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.
Live Video (ESPN+ Subscription)
2024-25 NCAA Men's Tennis Singles and Doubles Championships
Singles Quarterfinals – November 22
9-16 seed Timo Legout (UT) def. #55 Spencer Johnson (UCLA), 6-3, 6-2
Doubles Quarterfinals – November 22
Timo Legout/Lucas Brown (UT) def. Bryce Nakashima/William Jansen (OHST), 6-7 (5), 6-3, 1-0 (8)
Singles Semifinals – November 23
9-16 seed Timo Legout (UT) vs. 2 seed #2 Michael Zheng (COL), nb 11 a.m. CT
Doubles Semifinals – November 23
Timo Legout/Lucas Brown (UT) vs. 5-8 seed Pedro Vives/Lui Maxted (TCU), nb 1:30 p.m. CT
Note: The most recent ITA rankings were released in August prior to fall play.
Players Mentioned
