Evan King

Site: Flushing, N.Y. (USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center)
Event: USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships
U-M Team Result: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sun., Jan. 6-8 -- at Key Biscayne Individuals (Key Biscayne, Fla.)

FLUSHING, N.Y. -- Junior Evan King (Chicago, Ill./Kaplan HS) of the University of Michigan men's tennis team wrapped up singles play at the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships on Friday evening (Nov. 4), falling to Duke's No. 4-ranked Heinrich Cunha, 6-2, 6-4, in the quarterfinal round at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

King, ranked eighth in the preseason ITA poll, posted a 2-1 record in his second career appearance at the prestigious fall tournament. He earned a 7-5, 7-5 decision over Ohio State's No. 2-ranked Blaz Rola in the second round, marking his first victory over the Buckeye in five collegiate meetings and a reversal of Rola's win (6-3, 6-4) in the Midwest regional singles final on Oct. 17.

King earned late breaks in each set against Rola. He battled back from an early deficit in the first after a Rola break in the third game, winning the final four games to win, 7-5. On serve and knotted up at 5-5 in the second set, King won the final two games, tallying a pair of service winners in the latter.

He defeated Rollins' Lucas Jovita, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, in the opening round.

King concluded fall play with a 12-4 record in singles competition, facing ranked opposition in 10 of his 16 matches.

King and sophomore Shaun Bernstein (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview Old Bethpage JFK HS) also advanced to the doubles quarterfinals, where despite a late rally, they fell to Tulsa's No. 4-ranked tandem of Clifford Marsland and Ashley Watling. Down 7-3, the Wolverine duo won three consecutive games, before Watling held to seal the match. King and Bernstein opened doubles play with an 8-5 decision over California's Carlos Cueto and Ben McLachlan.

Michigan will return to competition in the New Year, heading to the Key Biscayne Individuals, scheduled for Jan. 6-8, at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, Fla.

U-M RESULTS

Singles

No. 8 Evan King
Thursday, Nov. 3 (First Round) -- d. Lucas Jovita (Rollins), 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Friday, Nov. 4 (Second Round) -- d. No. 2 Blaz Rola (Ohio State), 7-5, 7-5
Friday, Nov. 4 (Quarterfinals) -- l. No. 4 Henirich Cunha (Duke), 6-2, 6-4

Doubles

No. 33 Shaun Bernstein/Evan King
Thursday, Nov. 3 (First Round) -- Bye
Thursday, Nov. 3 (Second Round) -- d. Carlos Cueto/Ben McLachlan (California), 8-5
Friday, Nov. 4 (Quarterfinals) -- l. No. 4 Clifford Marsland/Ashley Watling (Tulsa), 8-6

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 762-4423