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ON TOUR: ATP Tour Rankings (5/14/12)

By Amanda Pruitt on May 14, 2012 10:02 AM | No TrackBacks

Here are the Vols' updated ATP Tour rankings as of May 14, 2012. The Vols are listed by highest singles ranking first. The number in parenthesis denotes change from previous week.

Rhyne Williams

Singles: 296 (+37)

Doubles: 391 (+5)

Note: Cracked the top 300 for the first time in his career after reaching the quarterfinals of the Rome 2 Challenger ... Playing a $10,000 Futures this week in Spain.

John-Patrick Smith

Singles: 300 (+36)

Doubles: 170 (+12)

Note: Ranked in the top 300 for the first time too after sweeping the singles and doubles titles two weeks ago at Vero Beach, Fla. ... Reached doubles final last week at the Orange Park (Fla.) Futures ... Off this week.

Tennys Sandgren

Singles: 338 (+11)

Doubles: 335 (-2)

Note: Points added for semifinal appearance at the Vero Beach (Fla.) Futures ... Reached singles final last week at the Orange Park (Fla.) Futures ... Playing this week at the Tampa (Fla.) Futures, also a $10,000 Futures event.

Adam Hubble

Singles: N/A

Doubles: 379 (+1)

Note: Lost in the first round of doubles last week at the Dusan Challenger in South Korea ... Playing a $15,000 Futures event in Korea this week with fellow Aussie Sam Groth.

Ben Rogers

Singles: N/A

Doubles: 527 (+64)

Note: Points added for winning the doubles title two weeks ago with John-Patrick Smith at the Vero Beach (Fla.) Futures ... Reached doubles final last week at the Orange Park (Fla.) Futures.

Matteo Fago

Singles: 1794 (-73)

Doubles: N/A

Note: Has qualified for the main draw of a $15,000 Futures event in Pozzuoli, Italy.

ON TOUR: Williams Marches to Quarterfinals in Italy

By Amanda Pruitt on May 9, 2012 9:21 PM | No TrackBacks

Rhyne Williams progressed to his second career Challenger quarterfinal Wednesday, beating fellow qualifier Walter Trusendi 6-1, 6-4 at the Garden Open in Rome, a $50,000 Challenger event.

Williams, who will move into the top 300 when the new rankings are released, now faces Jerzy Janowicz on Poland for a spot in the semifinals. Janowicz upset world No. 84 and top-ranked Latvian Ernests Gulbis 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in his second-round match.

Williams is currently ranked No. 333 and has been climbing the ATP singles ladder steadily since opening 2012 ranked No. 510. Earlier this year, he became the first Vol since Chris Woodruff in 2001 to appear in a ATP Masters 1000 event when he qualified for the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.

In Florida: All Vols advanced to the next round at the Orange Park (Fla.) Futures in Florida on Wednesday as well, with John-Patrick Smith and Tennys Sandgren progressing to the second round of singles and Smith and Ben Rogers advancing to the doubles semifinals.

Smith defeated wild card Jonathan Ho 6-0, 6-2, while Sandgren moved past Ty Trombetta 6-2, 6-2. Both former Vols are seeded second and third respectively.

Smith and Rogers weathered two rain delays before beating Clayton Almeida and Josh Zavala 6-7 (5), 6-1, [10-4].

ON TOUR: Williams Rallies to Advance in Italy

By Amanda Pruitt on May 8, 2012 11:53 PM | No TrackBacks

Rhyne Williams rallied from a break down in the third set to beat Adrian Menendez-Macieras 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3 in the opening round Tuesday of the Garden Open in Rome, Italy.

Williams, who won two matches to qualify for the main draw, now faces fellow qualifier Walter Trusendi in the Challenger second round. A win by Williams would give him 15 ATP tour points and propel him into the top 300.

This week's tournament marks Williams' first in a tour through Italy and Spain. He is playing with former Texas A&M standout Austin Krajicek.

In Florida: John-Patrick Smith and Ben Rogers continued their winning ways in Florida, opening the Orange Park Futures with a 6-2, 6-2 win over wild cards Jonathan Ho and Morgan Mays.

Smith, who won both titles last week at Vero Beach, plays Ho in singles Wednesday. Tennys Sandgren takes on Ty Trombetta.

ON TOUR: ATP Tour Rankings (5/7/12)

By Amanda Pruitt on May 7, 2012 9:51 AM | No TrackBacks

Here are the Vols' updated ATP Tour rankings as of May 7, 2012. The Vols are listed by highest singles ranking first. The number in parenthesis denotes change from previous week.

Rhyne Williams

Singles: 333 (0)

Doubles: 396 (-3)

Note: Playing in the final round qualifying today at the Rome 2 Challenger ... Playing several clay tournaments in Europe the next few weeks.

John-Patrick Smith

Singles: 336 (+1)

Doubles: 182 (0)

Note: Swept the singles and doubles titles Sunday at the Vero Beach Futures, good for his first singles and fifth doubles titles of 2012 ... Should be top 300 next week ... Seeded second this week at the Orange Park Futures.

Tennys Sandgren

Singles: 349 (+3)

Doubles: 333 (-1)

Note: Cracked the top 350 in singles for the first time in his career ... Reached the semifinals of the Vero Beach Futures in singles ... Seeded third this week at the Orange Park Futures.

Adam Hubble

Singles: N/A

Doubles: 380 (-2)

Note: Playing doubles at the Dusan Challenger in South Korea this week with Sam Groth ... Beginning a several-week stay in Korea.

Ben Rogers

Singles: N/A

Doubles: 591 (0)

Note: Won the doubles title Sunday at the Vero Beach (Fla.) Futures with John-Patrick Smith ... Playing doubles again this week at the Orange Park (Fla.) Futures.

Matteo Fago

Singles: 1721 (-92)

Doubles: N/A

Note: Lost in the first round of qualifying at the Rome 2 Challenger.

ON TOUR: Smith Sweeps Titles at Vero Beach

By Amanda Pruitt on May 6, 2012 8:36 PM | No TrackBacks

Former Vol John-Patrick Smith swept the singles and doubles trophies Sunday at the Sorensenrealestate.com Tennis Classic in Vero Beach, Fla.

Smith started the afternoon by winning his first singles title of 2012 by beating former California standout Pedro Zerbini 6-2, 6-0 on the green clay of Florida. A few hours later, he hoisted the doubles trophy with fellow Tennessee All-American Ben Rogers after the pair rallied to beat fourth-seeded Ed Corrie and Vahid Mirzadeh 5-7, 6-1, [11-9] in the final.

Smith now has two professional singles titles and eight titles in doubles, including three on the Challenger circuit this year. He is currently ranked No. 337 in singles and No. 182 in doubles, but the 18 ATP singles points earned at Vero Beach should boost Smith into the top 300 in two weeks.

Former Vols Smith, Sandgren and Rhyne Williams have proven themselves winners on the pro circuit the last 11 months since launching their touring careers. Tennys Sandgren pulled off the singles and doubles sweep in the previous Futures stop on the USTA Pro Circuit, winning both trophies in Little Rock, Ark.

Since July 2011, the top three of the Vols' 2011 lineup -- Smith, Williams and Sandgren -- have combined for seven singles and 12 doubles titles on the pro tour. Sandgren leads the way with four singles titles and will be ranked in the top 350 in two weeks.

Smith, Sandgren and Rogers are continuing the USTA Pro Circuit next week with another $10,000 event on Florida clay, this one in Orange Beach. Smith should again be the No. 2 seed in singles and Sandgren should be seeded No. 3.

Rome 2 Challenger: Williams' final round qualifying match at the Rome Challenger was suspended because of rain Sunday. He was down a break 2-4 in the first set against Bastian Knettel.

ON TOUR: Smith Reaches Singles, Doubles Finals at Vero Beach

By Amanda Pruitt on May 5, 2012 3:48 PM | No TrackBacks

In a rematch of teammates, John-Patrick Smith won the last six games of the second set to beat Tennys Sandgren 6-2, 7-5 in the semifinals Saturday of the Vero Beach Futures.

Smith plays former California standout Pedro Zerbini in the title match Sunday. After that, he and former Vol Ben Rogers will play for the doubles trophy against Ed Corrie and Vahid Mirzadeh.

Smith faced Zerbini at the top of the Vols' lineup last season in the NCAA Round of 16 match against California. The Vol was off the court first in Tennessee's 4-2 comeback, surging ahead early for a 6-3, 6-1 win to record his 150th career singles win.

Sandgren had won the first match against Smith in the semifinals in Little Rock, Ark., en route to sweeping the Futures titles the next day. Both Vols could meet again the next two weeks as the Florida Futures circuit continues through Orange Beach and Tampa.

Rome 2 Challenger: Two Vols have been in qualifying action in Rome this weekend.

Matteo Fago lost in the first round of qualifying, but Rhyne Williams is now just one win away from the main draw. Williams defeated Giulio Torroni 6-2, 6-3 in the second round Saturday. He faces Bastian Knittel next.

ON TOUR: Smith, Rogers Reach Doubles Final

By Amanda Pruitt on May 4, 2012 9:20 AM | No TrackBacks

Former Vols John-Patrick Smith and Ben Rogers had not played a doubles tournament together in 2012, but picked up right where they left off from last season, rolling to the final of the Vero Beach (Fla.) Futures as the top seed.

Smith and Rogers rallied past Clayton Almeida and Josh Zavala 6-7 (3), 6-3, [10-3] to advance to the title match, where they will face fourth-seeded Ed Corrie, a former Texas Longhorn, and Vahid Mirzadeh, formerly from Florida State.

Last year, Smith and Rogers won three $10,000 Futures titles together in the United States. Smith has certainly gained ground in the doubles rankings to start 2012, winning three Challenger titles with John Peers to moved up as high as No. 180 in the ATP rankings.

In singles, Smith and Tennys Sandgren both advanced to today's quarterfinals. Sandgren defeated American Phillip Simmonds 6-3, 6-2, and Smith beat Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 6-3.

Sandgren plays former Texas A&M doubles standout Jeff Dadamo, and Smith faces fellow Australian and sixth-seeded James Lemke.

ON TOUR: Vols Advance in Vero Beach

By Amanda Pruitt on May 3, 2012 10:09 AM | No TrackBacks

Former Vol John-Patrick Smith joined Tennys Sandgren in the second round of the Vero Beach (Fla.) Futures with a three-set win Wednesday.

Smith, the No. 2 seed, beat qualifier Eliot Potvin 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 to advance to the second round where he will face Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka. Sandgren plays American Phillip Simmonds next.

In doubles, Smith and former UT All-American Ben Rogers moved on to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Olivier Sojous and Karunuday Singh. They play Clayton Almeida and Josh Zavala today, a team that beat Sandgren and teammate Gregory Ouellette in three sets Wednesday.

ON TOUR: ATP Tour Rankings (4/30/12)

By Amanda Pruitt on April 30, 2012 11:59 AM | No TrackBacks

Here are the Vols' updated ATP Tour rankings as of April 30, 2012. The Vols are listed by highest singles ranking first. The number in parenthesis denotes change from previous week.

Rhyne Williams

Singles: 333 (+32)

Doubles: 393 (-3)

Note: Made first career Challenger quarterfinal, reaching the final eight at the Savannah Challenger ... 333 a new career best ... Traveling to Italy for a Challenger next week.

John-Patrick Smith

Singles: 337 (+12)

Doubles: 182 (+2)

Note: Points added from reaching the semifinals of the Little Rock (Ark.) Futures in singles and doubles two weeks ago ... Beginning a three-week Futures circuit in Florida this week at Vero Beach.

Tennys Sandgren

Singles: 352 (+52)

Doubles: 332 (+32)

Note: Points added for sweeping the singles and doubles titles at the Little Rock (Ark.) Futures, beating John Peers 6-1, 7-6 in the title match ... Off this week ... Beginning a three-week Futures circuit in Florida this week at Vero Beach.

Adam Hubble

Singles: N/A

Doubles: 378 (-5)

Note: Off this week ... Preparing for three-week swing in South Korea.

Ben Rogers

Singles: N/A

Doubles: 591 (-7)

Note: Playing doubles at the Vero Beach Futures with John-Patrick Smith.

Matteo Fago

Singles: 1629 (-4)

Doubles: N/A

Note: Qualified for a $15,000 Futures event in Italy after winning three straight-set matches but lost in his opening-round match of the main draw.

Vols Remain 16th in ITA Rankings

By Amanda Pruitt on April 24, 2012 11:07 PM | No TrackBacks

After reaching the quarterfinals of the SEC Tennis Championships last week, the Vols kept their No. 16 position in Tuesday's ITA national rankings.

The Vols (14-13) are on the borderline of hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Championships next month. Typically the top 16 schools host, though regional considerations and whether the women's team can host is also weighted in the decision. NCAA.com will broadcast the tournament selection show May 1 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.

Individually a pair of Vols reached career bests in singles. On the heels of defeating his first top-10 opponent, Mikelis Libietis improved to two spots to No. 30 nationally, putting him well within the safety zone of being selected for the 64-player NCAA singles tournament. Hunter Reese, who also went 2-0 at the SEC Championships, moved up six spots to No. 74.

In doubles, Libietis and Reese are ranked 12th as a pairing and should make the NCAA tournament as well.