FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. – Senior Gonzales Austin is looking to make more history.
After already advancing further than any Commodore in men’s and women’s history at the National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships, the Miami, Fla. native looks to capture the program’s first individual championship. This tournament is the premiere contest of the fall within college tennis, playing host to the most elite athletes.
Since the inception of the tournament in 1980 no Vanderbilt athlete has ever won a men’s or women’s singles or doubles championship. Austin will play for the title on Sunday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Championship Tennis Center.
Austin squared off against Virginia’s Richie Schneider in tournament semifinals. Austin took the first set in a close 7-5 victory. However, in the second set his opponent encountered a nosebleed. After using his one permitted medical timeout, Schneider was forced to retire from the match. As a result, the Vandy senior won the match and the opportunity to compete in national finals.
“AJ (Austin) won this morning, although it was under the most unusual circumstances I have ever seen,” remarked head coach Ian Duvenhage. “He (Austin) was in the process of playing a good match. AJ won the first set, and it is a shame his opponent was not able to continue. We’re very excited to have him in the finals tomorrow.”
Looking towards Sunday’s championship match, the Miami Fla. native takes on the University of North Carolina’s No. 7 Brayden Schnur. Schnur is currently undefeated in the fall preseason, boasting wins over the No. 8, 27, 99, 17, and 80 players. Sunday’s championship stage is set, as No. 9 Austin and Schnur faceoff at 10 a.m. ET. UNC won the NIIC once, with the win dating back to 1993.
After the conclusion of singles, partner Rhys Johnson joined Austin as the tandem faced the No. 1 seed in tournament semifinals. USC’s Hanfmann and Quiroz had previously beaten the Commodore couple earlier this fall in a 6-2, 6-2 victory. With the loss in the back of their minds, the Commodores were looking to even the record, forcing the match to a tiebreak in the first set. However the `Dores were overpowered in the second set, bowing out of the tournament with a 7-6, 6-3 final score.
“Unfortunately AJ and Rhys (Johnson) lost in doubles. They played a good match, but the other guys just played a little better.”
