Alabama
NCAA Singles Championships
Planinsek Falls In Second Round of NCAA Singles Championships
5/24/2022 3:00:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The loss caps an impressive rookie campaign for Filip Planinsek, which included a team-leading 22 singles wins and SEC Freshman of the Year honors
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. –– Alabama's Filip Planinsek concluded his season Tuesday in the second round of the NCAA Singles Championships, falling 6-2, 6-3 to Ohio State's Matej Vocel at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex.
Despite an even start, 13th-ranked Vocel captured momentum in the opening set to take a 6-2 victory in round one. That momentum would continue as the Ohio State graduate student jumped out to an early lead in the second set. Planinsek, ranked 25th, made a run towards the end of the second set, securing three-straight games, but would come up short in a 6-3 decision.
From Head Coach George Husack
"Filip faced a tough, seasoned vet today in Matej Vocel. There wasn't much margin for error and Filip gave his best effort as he always does. A commendable freshman season where he anchored our top singles and doubles positions while also getting a taste of the NCAA Championships. There's plenty of room for him to build off of this year's development and continue his growth in becoming an elite competitor. We are all proud of what Filip has accomplished but more importantly who he is and what he brings to our program on a daily basis. I'm excited for what the future has in store for him."
Planinsek earned a spot in the second round of the tournament, after downing Hawaii's Andre Ilagan in Monday's round of 64. Planinsek took the first set 6-3, but battled through an evenly paced second set where he fell in an 8-6 tiebreaker. The UA freshman regained momentum in the final round to take the match with a 6-2 score in the third set.
Planinsek made history this season, earning the program's first-ever SEC Freshman of the Year honors. He concluded the year with a team-leading 22 singles victories, which included a three-set win over Ilagan in the first round of the NCAA Singles Championships. He currently holds the second-highest ranking for a freshman in the country and is currently the only SEC freshman ranked in the ITA rankings.
2022 NCAA Men's Tennis Singles Results
Second Round: Matej Vocel (OSU) def. Filip Planinsek (UA) 6-2, 6-3
First Round: Filip Planinsek (UA) def. Andre Ilagan (Hawaii) 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2
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