Austin, Lipman earn All-American status in singles, advance in doubles

May 22, 2014

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ATHENS, Ga. – Gonzales Austin and Ryan Lipmanset Vanderbilt history Thursday, becoming the first Commodore pair to earn ITA All-American honors in both singles and doubles. The two picked up singles wins to advance to the round of 16 and hold on of the top eight national seeds in the doubles draw to garner those honors.

Austin started the day by picking up the win in his second round match, becoming the first Commodore to earn a trip to the round of 16 since Chad Harris in 2004. By advancing to the round of 16 he also became the fifth Vanderbilt player to earn ITA All-American singles honors.

In his second round match against No. 17 Winston Lin, Austin jumped out to an early lead in the first set but Lin was able to work back and eventually take the set 7-5 in a tiebreaker.

Austin bounced back in the second set winning 6-3 and worked his way to a 3-1 lead in the third and final set. At 5-1, in the final set Lin held before Austin clinched it with a forehand winner.

The Vandy junior will face No. 51 Florent Diep in the round of 16. The two met during the regular season with Austin taking the win 7-5, 7-6(4).

Lipman kept his shot at the singles title alive winning his second round match over No. 45 Jordi Vives. The Nashville native becomes just the second two-time All-American in Vanderbilt men’s tennis history, following in the footsteps of Bobby Reynolds.

The Vandy senior dropped the first set 7-5 but was able to bounce back and force a third set with a 6-2 second set win. In the third, Lipman worked it to 5-3, and with Vives serving earned the break to clinch the match.

Lipman will face No. 55 Ben McLachlan of Cal in the round of 16.

In the nightcap, No. 3 Lipman and Austin moved on to the round of 16 in doubles action winning in straight sets over 11th-ranked Nick Chappell and Will Stein of TCU.

The duo will continue play Friday against Mississippi State’s Malte Stropp and Jordan Angus. The Bulldog pair is ranked No. 17 by the ITA and have faced Lipman and Austin twice already this season. The Vandy pair is 2-0 against Stropp and Angus with wins of 8-7 (9) and 8-6.

NCAA Men’s Singles Championship – Second Round
No. 21 Gonzales Austin (Vanderbilt) def. No. 17 [9-16] Winston Lin (Columbia): 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2
No. 59 Ryan Lipman (Vanderbilt) def. No. 45 Jordi Vives (Florida Gulf Coast) – 5-7, 6-2, 6-3

NCAA Men’s Doubles Championship – First Round
No. 3 [3] Gonzales Austin/Ryan Lipman (Vanderbilt) def. No. 11 Nick Chappell/Will Stein (TCU) – 6-3, 7-5

NCAA Men’s Singles Championship – Round of 16
Friday:
No. 21 Gonzales Austin (Vanderbilt) vs. No. 51 Florent Diep (Florida) – 12:30 p.m. ET
No. 59 Ryan Lipman (Vanderbilt) vs. No. 55 Ben McLachlan (California) – 12:30 p.m. ET

NCAA Men’s Doubles Championship – Round of 16
Friday:
No. 3 [3] Gonzales Austin/Ryan Lipman (Vanderbilt) vs. No. 17 Malte Stropp/Jordan Angus – 4:30 p.m. ET