Nov. 7, 2012
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Redshirt junior Ryan Lipman will travel to Flushing, N.Y., for the 2012 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships Nov. 8-11 at the USTA Billie Jean National King Tennis Center.
Lipman received an automatic bid after winning the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional in Memphis, Tenn., Oct. 19-23.
Action is slated to begin Thursday morning at 9 a.m. with first and second round doubles competition, followed by the first round of singles play in the afternoon. Lipman’s first round opponent will be Mississippi State’s Romain Bogaerts.
The only championship to showcase elite players from every level of collegiate sports, the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships serves as the culmination of the fall season. Hosted by Columbia University, this prestigious event features a 32-player singles draw and a 20-team doubles draw for men and women.
“Ryan has had exceptional practices since the Regionals,” said Vanderbilt head coach Ian Duvenhage. “I think he has a very clear vision of the way he wants to play and I expect him to have a great tournament in New York.”
At the Ohio Valley Regional, Lipman went 6-0 in singles play and is now 8-2 through three fall tournaments. In his six matches, he needed three sets only once to win a match. That match was in the round of 16 versus the No. 1 seed Anthony Rossi of Kentucky (6-3, 6-7, 6-4).
His path to the title was anything but easy, as he defeated the No. 1 (Rossi), No. 2 (Mikelis Libietis of Tennessee) and No. 3 seeds (Gonzales Austin). In the semifinals, Lipman was even dealt with playing his own teammate, Austin, who he defeated by default after the fellow Commodore went down with an injury in the second set.
In the championship match, Lipman, the No. 12 seed, defeated the No. 2 seed Libietis in two sets, 6-3, 6-4.
The Nashville, Tenn., native returns to the National Indoor Tournament for the second time in his collegiate career after qualifying during his sophomore year.
Vanderbilt begins dual competition on Jan. 18, when the Commodores host Butler at the Currey Tennis Center.
For more information on Lipman’s road to the National Indoor Tournament, click here.
