May 22, 2007
SAN DIEGO -
NCAA Tournament Singles Bracket in PDF Format
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NCAA Tournament Doubles Bracket in PDF Format
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The San Diego State men's tennis team will be represented on a national level by Markus Dickhardt and Christian Groh as the two will travel to Athens, Ga., to compete in the NCAA Tournament beginning on Wednesday, May 23, at the University of Georgia. Dickhardt is slated to take part in the national singles tournament and will team with Groh in the doubles tourney at Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Dickhardt will face Tennessee's Kaden Hensel in the round of 64 on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. EDT. Hensel, ranked 17th in the country, played all but three matches at No. 1 singles for the Volunteers and finished the season with a 13-7 dual record, including a 9-7 mark against current ranked players.
Dickhardt earned the Mountain West Conference's automatic singles berth as a result of being the highest ranked player in the league at season's end. The senior, ranked 43rd in the latest FILA Collegiate Tennis Rankings, completed one of the finest seasons in SDSU history, going 25-8 overall and 19-5 in dual matches. During the spring campaign, the four-year letterwinner enjoyed a career-best 15-match winning streak with 13 of them coming at the top of the singles ladder. Dickhardt ended the campaign with a 15-4 mark at the top position and was especially tough against nationally ranked opponents, posting a record of 7-4.
The German's stellar season was recognized throughout 2007 as he earned MWC player of the week honors four times, including a streak of three consecutive from the end of March to the first week in April. At the end of the season, Dickhardt was voted MWC player of the year and an all-league singles selection.
When Dickhardt takes the court, he will become the first Aztec since Felix Hardt in 2004 to play for the national singles championship. Hardt's bid fell short that season as he dropped a 6-4, 7-6 decision to Bo Hodge of Georgia in the round of 64.
In doubles, Dickhardt and Groh will take on Tulsa's Diego Camacho and Ross Cunningham in Thursday's round of 32. The Golden Hurricane pairing completed the season ranked 41st nationally after posting an 11-8 record in the spring. Against tandems currently ranked in the doubles poll, the pair went 2-1.
The Aztec senior duo was invited to the national tournament after earning the MWC's automatic bid. The pair ended the campaign ranked 32nd and enjoyed a ranking as high as No. 8 after finishing the year 13-7 overall and 9-6 in dual action. Against nationally ranked tandems, Dickhardt-Groh posted a 1-1 record. For their efforts in conference play, the two were named to the MWC all-doubles team.
SDSU's invitation is the second straight year in which the Aztecs have had a doubles entrant in the tournament. Last year, Dickhardt and Benedikt Stronk advanced to the quarterfinal round en route to earning All-America honors.