RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Christian Lerby of Sun Devil men's tennis started off 2020 on a high note, winning the singles bracket of the 2020 National Collegiate Tennis Classic. The freshman was also joined by fellow teammates George Stoupe and Will Kirkman in California.
Both freshmen in Lerby and Stoupe earned first round byes as Lerby came into the tournament as the No. 1 seed. Kirkman fought to a straight-set 6-4, 6-2 win over Blaine Hovenier of UCLA to make three Sun Devils in the Round of 16.
Kirkman fell 6-2, 6-2 in the second round while Stoupe suffered the same fate to the tune of a 6-2, 6-1 loss. Lerby powered through, taking down Cagatay Soke of Fresno State, 6-1, 7-5.
The Netherlands-native took home two more victories, both in straight sets, to total four in three days to propel himself into the final round. Lerby faced off against Kyryll Kryvchun of Boise State in the final round, with both men holding relatively similar UTR rankings of 13.
The Sun Devil took the first set, 6-4, and then powered on to take the second set 6-3 to win the National Collegiate Tennis Classic. Lerby joined the Sun Devil women's tennis pair of Cali Jankowski and Tereza Kolarova to make headlines at the tournament, as the women took home a doubles title in tandem.
Sun Devil men's tennis kicks off their 2020 season this Thursday at 3 p.m. against Grand Canyon. Admission at the Whiteman Tennis Center is free to the public, and fans can keep up with the action all season-long by following @SunDevilMTennis on Twitter.
Both freshmen in Lerby and Stoupe earned first round byes as Lerby came into the tournament as the No. 1 seed. Kirkman fought to a straight-set 6-4, 6-2 win over Blaine Hovenier of UCLA to make three Sun Devils in the Round of 16.
Kirkman fell 6-2, 6-2 in the second round while Stoupe suffered the same fate to the tune of a 6-2, 6-1 loss. Lerby powered through, taking down Cagatay Soke of Fresno State, 6-1, 7-5.
The Netherlands-native took home two more victories, both in straight sets, to total four in three days to propel himself into the final round. Lerby faced off against Kyryll Kryvchun of Boise State in the final round, with both men holding relatively similar UTR rankings of 13.
The Sun Devil took the first set, 6-4, and then powered on to take the second set 6-3 to win the National Collegiate Tennis Classic. Lerby joined the Sun Devil women's tennis pair of Cali Jankowski and Tereza Kolarova to make headlines at the tournament, as the women took home a doubles title in tandem.
Sun Devil men's tennis kicks off their 2020 season this Thursday at 3 p.m. against Grand Canyon. Admission at the Whiteman Tennis Center is free to the public, and fans can keep up with the action all season-long by following @SunDevilMTennis on Twitter.