Wake Forest Athletics
Men's Tennis To Host NCAA 1st And 2nd Rounds
5/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
May 1, 2007
Indianapolis, Ind. - For the first time in program history, the Wake Forest men's tennis team will host an NCAA first and second round site. The Deacons, seeded 13th in the tournament, will play Charlotte in the first round at the Upper Eight Courts on the campus of Wake Forest University on Friday, May 11 at 11:00 a.m.
Wake Forest (21-6) received an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships for a seventh straight season and the eighth time in 10 years under head coach Jeff Zinn. The Deacons are seeking their first-ever Sweet 16 appearance.
"We've got a tough road ahead with three very deserving teams coming to Winston-Salem. We're familiar with all three teams and have a lot of respect for their programs and the seasons they've had," Zinn said. "Getting the opportunity to host the first and second rounds is such an honor and we're hoping for a great home court advantage."
Charlotte (17-8) earned an automatic bid by steamrolling through the Atlantic 10 with a perfect record. Wake Forest leads the all-time series with the 49ers, 7-1, but the teams have not met on the court since 1999.
The other first-round matchup features Clemson and Elon, a match that will begin Friday at 2:00 p.m. The Tigers (30-9) have two previous meetings with Wake Forest. In the regular season, Clemson won at home 4-2. In the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, the Deacons captured a 4-1 victory. Elon (23-2) received an automatic bid by winning the Southern Conference. Like the 49ers, the Phoenix also were undefeated in their league, posting a 12-0 mark.
Friday's winners will meet on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with a berth to the Sweet 16 in Athens, Ga., on the line.
Wake Forest enters the NCAA Tournament battle-tested. Of the Deacons' 27 matches this year, 17 came against teams that made the NCAA Tournament field. Wake Forest went 11-6 in those matches. Ten ACC teams made this year's NCAA Tournament field.
The Deacons have reached the round of 32 in three of the past four years, the best showing in program history.
The tournament has a 64-team field and 16 schools will host the first and second rounds at campus sites. The remaining 16 teams will advance to the NCAA Championships in Athens, Ga., hosted by Georgia, beginning May 17.
First Round - Friday, May 11
- 11:00 a.m. -- Wake Forest (21-6) vs. Charlotte (17-8)
- 2:00 p.m. -- Clemson (30-9) vs. Elon (23-2)
Second Round - Saturday, May 12
- 2:00 p.m. -- Wake Forest/Charlotte winner vs. Clemson/Elon winner
