May 30, 2011
Taube Family Tennis Center - Stanford, Calif. Singles and Doubles Finals
MEN'S SINGLES FINAL
No. 1 Steve Johnson (1), USC, d. No. 3 Rhyne Williams (4), TENNESSEE, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
MEN'S DOUBLES FINAL
No. 4 Jeff Dadamo-Austin Krajicek (3), TEXAS A&M, d. No. 3 Bradley Klahn-Ryan Thacher, STANFORD, 7-6 (4), 6-3
MEN'S QUOTES
No. 1 Steve Johnson (1), USC
"When I woke up this morning, I was more nervous I think for the team event than I was today. The goal the whole year was to win the team thing and I felt that there was a lot more pressure on my shoulders there than today. Today was just another match and I went out there, stayed focused and didn't let myself get down after that first set and played really well."
"He played really smart (in the first set). The first game, I really didn't see that happening, but he played four great points and that was that. The first game, you can't dwell on that game. But he served his way out of the first set a couple times and didn't capitalize on a couple of 30-30 points or a couple of missed balls. In the second and third sets, I felt like when the opportunity was there I stepped up and I hit the right ball and I made him work for every point."
"When I got off that game to go up 2-0 in the third, I was going to do anything it took to hold so I was fortunate enough to hold and hold on the sunny side which has been tough all day. Then I was fortunate enough to get that break at 4-1."
"It's weird to be in this position because coming in as a freshman, I had no idea that as a team we could win three national titles in a row and now I can't imagine, other than one Stanford team, to have won four. That's such an incredible opportunity and I feel like I've gone through it with three years so far with Daniel and those guys and I feel like we'll be back and better for next year. I really want to come back and win that fourth."
USC head coach Peter Smith
"Steve is great. Knowing him and knowing who he is, I think he will be back in my heart of hearts. He doesn't owe me, he doesn't owe USC anything. He's a wonderful kid and I'm just so happy for him."
No. 3 Rhyne Williams (4), TENNESSEE
"He's an unbelievable player and we've had some good battles. Today I think he was just the better player so congrats to him. He has had a great two weeks out here."
"I broke right away during the first game; I think maybe he was a little bit nervous. I caught a few returns in the middle of the racket and I had a really good start and I served pretty well the first set and then maybe my legs died a little bit. I was a little tired yesterday from the match with Tennys (Sandgren) so my serve kind of went downhill from the first set and I didn't really get any free points after that. I think that was a big key to me not doing that well in the second and third sets."
"I tried to fight but there was really not much left in the tank. He really stepped up his game in the second and third sets, and I just couldn't really hang. I kind of used it all up in the first set."
Austin Krajicek, TEXAS A&M
"We played a good match today. I think we had a good tournament all week. We served really well and scored well. It's nice to have this be our last tournament in college."
"We knew what to expect because we had played Stanford in the duals in the team match. We knew there were going to be a lot of people out and they would be loud. We just focused on our game and didn't let it affect us that much. It's fun playing in that kind of atmosphere when its really loud. It makes it more exciting. We enjoy it."
Jeff Dadamo, TEXAS A&M
"We've played them a couple of times, but it is different than what we practice against. Having played them before definitely helped us out today."
Ryan Thacher, STANFORD
"We were excited to go out and play this match. We knew we needed to execute the game plan. We got off to a good start, but, unfortunately, went to a tiebreaker where anything can happen."
"We just couldn't quite execute, but give the Texas A&M guys credit, they played a great match."
WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL
No. 1 Jana Juricova (1), CALIFORNIA, d. No. 43 Stacey Tan, STANFORD, 6-0, 7-6 (2)
WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL
No. 3 Hilary Barte-Mallory Burdette (4), STANFORD, d. No. 6 Josipa Bek-Keri Wong, CLEMSON, 7-6 (6), 6-0
WOMEN'S QUOTES
No. 1 Jana Juricova (1), CALIFORNIA
"I knew I had a chance and I always try to finish in two sets if I can, so I decided to really go for it. I knew that's my best shot if I really take the time away from her and not let her do the things she needs to. I really decided to do it and I think that's why the tiebreaker went so well for me."
"It's always nice to have people cheering for you. I have my parents here so they're really supportive, too. All the fans who came, my teammates and all the Bears, all the past Bears, it was really fun to have them around and hear them when I was playing."
"I think it was a great experience to have from last year and I think I learned a lot from that match. Then again, we played so many matches at Stanford and I played so many matches on court one, so it doesn't really feel like I'm playing away. I kind of like their courts and I think that especially because of the fans, I kind of feel like I'm playing at home too."
"I think after the first set she had nothing to lose and I kind of expected that. I was able to play my game still and it was about who's going to strike first and who's going to take the time away from the other person. That's what I was trying to do the whole second set. I need to really just trust my game and stay aggressive."
California head coach Amanda Augustus
"I think that's something that we've been focused on for sure this entire semester, but really proudly since the final last year. I think she has got to a point where when she's out there in these matches, she really sees what's going on and she sees the opportunity that she can create with her game and then it's more trusting herself."
No. 43 Stacey Tan, STANFORD
"I feel like in the first set I had all the nerves inside of me and I was really tight playing in the finals. It got into my head a little bit and I wasn't able to go out and hit my shots, play my game. After the first set, I figured that this was the last match and I might as well do my best and do everything I can to try to come back and at least put up a good fight. So I think that's the biggest difference between the first and second sets."
"I feel like she has a really powerful game, she has strong shots and especially her serve, but at the same time she can be really consistent and knows how to reset points pretty well."
"I feel like the beginning, especially the first set, I was having a bit of trouble. I'd say the players that I was facing in the rounds before weren't as strong of servers. I started to get use to her serve more as the match went on and it did help a lot."
"It's been a long week. Each match is really tough. It's just tiring and exhausting and taking it one day at a time really does help, especially knowing that you put 100 percent of what you have out there every day, doing what you can to recover from the match and getting ready for the next day."
Hilary Barte, STANFORD
"I think we just took it one point at a time and they got a little bit tight and I think we stepped it up. That point at 6-4, Mallory hit a really great return and on a great forehand, and I think that really turned the momentum in our favor for that tiebreaker and the rest of the match."
"I'm so happy, I wish we could have won the team and that would have made it a lot sweeter. But to go out in the last match in a Stanford uniform I couldn't write a better script."
"I would make a metaphor to climbing a mountain, it's like an 11 or 12-day mountain and it's pretty grueling. The last day is like that last step to the peak and you take it and you're looking up top and you get to enjoy the view. It's been worth it."
Mallory Burdette, STANFORD
"I feel like obviously we played very well to get going there in that tiebreaker and we went into that second set and Hillary was like `the last set, the best set of our lives' and so I think we went out there and we played really well. We took it to them and I think that was the biggest thing for us to play well together, we have to be pretty aggressive out there with our shots and when we have that mindset, great things happen."
"The crowd was awesome, obviously throughout the team the crowd was great as well. Today I was very surprised with how many people came out. We were very happy about that. It always makes things fun."
"They definitely pushed me and watched me play my first couple of doubles matches. Erin (oldest sister) was here in town and Lindsay (middle sister) is still here and they took me out after the first doubles match and had me doing volley drills and they were like `oh no, this isn't working.' They definitely pushed me and taught me a lot about doubles. I definitely wasn't always as comfortable in doubles but they've definitely taught me a lot and they've been a huge part of this week."
Josipa Bek, CLEMSON
"We came prepared for the match. We had already played them once, so we were ready to play our best. We had chances in the first set but didn't come through. They used the momentum and had that on their side. That was the end."
Keri Wong, CLEMSON
"We played pretty well up until 6-6. We had five set points, and then they couldn't miss after that. In the second set, they came out pretty strong and that was all they needed."