Big 12 Run Ends in Semifinal

^#5 TCU

^#10Oklahoma

Gallery

Results

2016 Stats

STILLWATER, Okla. – Despite winning all six first sets in singles, the No. 3-seed Oklahoma men's tennis team fell 4-2 to No. 2-seed TCU on Saturday in the semifinals round of the Big 12 Championship.

TCU clinched a hotly contested doubles point with a tiebreaker win on court two and then took wins at No. 1, 2 and 6 singles to clinch the dual and advance to Sunday's Big 12 final. The loss snaps OU's streak of five straight Big 12 championship match appearances dating back to 2011.

"We played well in doubles and just came up a point or two short, but we competed,” head coach John Roddick said. “In singles we started extremely well, but we have start finishing matches. We have some time to work on that before we head to NCAAs.”

Doubles started slowly for OU with freshmen Max Mora and Andre Biro falling 6-1 at the number three spot. Spencer Papa and Alex Ghilea leveled the point with a win of their own at the top spot. They toppled Reese Stadler and Hudson Blake with a break at 5-all and then a hold for 7-5.

With the first two matches split, the opening point came down to court two where Axel Alvarez and Austin Siegel were locked in a tiebreaker with Guillermo Nunez and Trevor Johnson. At one point the Sooners led 5-4 and were back to serve two points, but the Frogs won the next three points to clinch the match and the doubles point.

OU opened in dominant fashion in singles. The Sooners took first sets on all six courts and, needing just four wins to claim the match, looked to be in good position. TCU would rally however, forcing third sets on four courts before ultimately winning three matches to clinch.

Biro, a freshman, continued his strong play, winning the first match completed. He bested Trey Daniel 6-3, 6-2 to level the match at 1-all. Junior Florin Bragusi gave OU its lone lead of the day with a win at No. 4 singles. He took down Jerry Lopez 7-6(7), 6-3 to put Oklahoma up 2-1.

The Horned Frogs went on to win the next three matches. No. 81 Papa fell to No. 24 Alex Rybakov in three sets at the number two spot and Alvarez stumbled against No. 6 Cameron Norrie in the top singles position. TCU's clinching win came on court five where Trevor Johnson took a third-set breaker to beat Mora 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(5).

Oklahoma will learn its postseason fate Tuesday, May 3 as the NCAA Selection Show takes place at 4:30 p.m. CT on NCAA.com.

For more information on Oklahoma Men's Tennis, follow the team on Twitter at @OU_MTennis.

RESULTS

DOUBLES

1. Ghilea/Papa def. Stadler/Blake - 7-5
2. Nunez/Johnson def. Alvarez/Siegel - 7-6(5)

3. Norrie/Rybakov def. Mora/Biro - 6-1

Order of finish: 3, 1, 2

SINGLES

1. #6 Cameron Norrie def. ^#25 Axel Alvarez - 6-7, 6-2, 6-2
2. #24 Alex Rybakov def. ^#81 Spencer Papa - 6-6, 6-4, 6-2

3.^#51 Alex Ghilea vs. #87 Guillermo Nunez - 7-6, 4-6, 2-2, DNF

4. Florin Bragusi def. Jerry Lopez - 7-5, 6-3

5. Trevor Johnson def. Max Mora - 4-6, 6-1, 7-6

6. Andre Biro def. Trey Daniel - 6-3, 6-2

Order of finish: 6, 4, 2, 1, 5

RESULTS

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Florin Bragusi

Alex Ghilea

Spencer Papa

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics