MEN’S TENNIS: Cavaliers dismantle Hurricanes in straight sets

By Whitey Reid

Published: March 28, 2008

Just a few minutes into Friday afternoon’s match between the top-ranked Virginia men’s tennis team and Miami, a boisterous fan sitting in the student section shouted, “Tennis and lacrosse — that’s what Virginia does!”
The comment was meant more as a comical reference to a famous line from the movie “Wedding Crashers” than any sort of psyche-up tactic.
However, after Friday’s festivities, the remark couldn’t have been more apropos.
Virginia, behind No. 1 player in the country Somdev Devvarman, obliterated No. 26 Miami. The Cavaliers won all nine matches and didn’t drop a set en route to a 7-0 win in front of a rowdy crowd of 637 at the Snyder Tennis Center.
With the victory, Virginia (20-0) kept its perfect season intact. It’s a season that is certainly becoming reminiscent of the one that the UVa men’s lacrosse team had in 2006 when it went undefeated on its way to an NCAA championship.
A smiling Devvarman agreed that this season is shaping up to be a special one.
“What has made it special is the intensity that everybody comes out with,” said the senior co-captain. “Nobody is ever slacking and everyone is always giving their best effort.”
The most jaw-dropping result of the day was Devvarman’s 6-0, 6-1 demolition of Miami’s Daniel Vallverdu, the No. 4 player in the country.
Devvarman never let Vallverdu up for air.
“When Somdev comes out like he did, with that extra level of energy, it carries over to the whole team,” said Virginia coach Brian Boland. “He had that extra edge and the team feeds off that.”
Vallverdu, who had lost just one match all season coming into Friday, looked hapless against Devvarman.
“Somdev was almost impossible to beat,” Vallverdu said. “He said it was the best he had ever played. I don’t know if that’s true, but if he keeps working he’s going to be really good in the pros.”
Devvarman, who improved his singles record to 17-0 this spring, said he was motivated by a loss to Miami at home two years ago.
“I definitely remembered that,” he said. “It wasn’t a good feeling. I think everyone came out very focused and very intense.”
According to Boland, a great week of practice led to his team’s fine performance.
“I believe we really improved throughout this week,” Boland said. “I was really impressed with our doubles. We had a lot of chemistry.”
That’s where Virginia set the tone for its dominance.
A lineup change by Boland paid off. He paired junior Dominic Inglot with freshman Michael Shabaz at No. 2 and teamed senior Ted Angelinos and freshman Sanam Singh at No. 3.
Inglot and Shabaz beat Miami’s Vallverdu and Keith Crowley, 8-1, while Angelinos and Singh downed Carl Sundberg and Hector Nieto, 8-4.
“It was the first time I had played with Dom,” Shabaz said. “There was a feel-out between us, but it definitely felt comfortable.”
The fans may have had something to do with the extra bounce to Virginia’s step. Boland gave props to the team’s supporters, who turned out in droves on an unseasonably warm March day.
“I was just thrilled that so many people could come out,” he said. “It makes a huge difference.
“From top to bottom, this is as well as we have played all year.”
At times, it seemed as if Miami players may have been overwhelmed by the atmosphere. On several occasions, the chair umpire had to tell Wahoo fans to tone it down.
Shabaz said the crowd definitely fired him up.
“That’s the beauty of playing matches outside,” he said. “A lot more students can come out.”
Aces
Virginia hosts 10th-ranked Florida State at the Snyder Tennis Center - weather permitting - on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Seminoles defeated Virginia Tech, 4-3, on Friday.