AUBURN, Ala. — The top-seeded Ole Miss men’s tennis team successfully defended its SEC Tournament Championship, defeating the No. 3 seed, Tennessee, 4-2 in a hard-fought final here Sunday afternoon at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. 

The Rebels, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, completed a perfect SEC season, winning the SEC overall Championship the SEC West title and the SEC Tournament as well as going undefeated (11-0) in league play.

With the Rebels leading 3-2 and needing one more point to secure the championship and possibly the No. 1 national ranking, Mississippi native Devin Britton took care of business in the second set, breaking at 4-4 and holding serve to clinch the win, after claiming the first set 7-5. 

“This year was really special because this is a young team, and it is a team that has great chemistry and has come together,” head coach Billy Chadwick said.  “They play hard top-to-bottom.”

Britton posted a 5-0 record in singles and doubles in his first SEC Tournament for the Rebels.

“It was nerve-racking, but definitely a lot of fun to come out on top and definitely intense,” Britton said.  “It is a big win for the team as well.  I just happened to finish last, but a lot of the other guys did great as well, it was a good team effort.  The atmosphere is crazy.  It is awesome, and there are so many good teams in the tournament. I look forward to coming back next year.”

Ole Miss got on the board first by taking the doubles point.  Britton and sophomore Tucker Vorster downed the UT pair of Boris Conkic and Matteo Fago 8-3 at No. 2.  Tennessee’s J.P. Smith and Davey Sandgren, ranked No. 5 nationally, knocked off top-ranked Jonas Berg and Bram ten Berge 8-5 on court one.  Junior Kalle Norberg teamed up with freshman Otto Sauer to post an 8-3 win on court three against the Vol duo of Matt Brewer and Bryan Swartz to clinch the point.

The Rebels got straight set wins from Sauer and fellow freshman Marcel Thiemann to go up 3-0.  Thiemann downed Brewer 6-1, 6-3 at six, and then Sauer topped UT’s Christian Hansen 6-4, 6-1 at five.  Sauer finished the weekend 5-0 in singles and doubles and clinched the victory over Florida, while Thiemann went 3-0 in singles and clinched the win over LSU.

With the Rebels up 3-0, getting the final point would take some work as Tennessee claimed wins at Nos. 4 and 1 to pull within 3-2.  ten Berge fell to Sandgren 7-5, 6-3 and then last year’s tournament MVP, Berg, dropped a 6-3, 7-6 decision to eighth-ranked Smith.

“We did a good job of getting out and getting the doubles point today, and we also did a good job of positioning ourselves in singles,” Chadwick said.  “But, if you look at it close, Tennessee was inching in the entire time, and they were closing in on us.  It was great to see Devin step up and put the match away for us.”

Norberg was named the SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player.  He went 3-0 in singles and doubles to help lead the Rebels to their second consecutive SEC Tournament title and their third ever.  The Rebels defeated LSU 4-2 in the quarterfinals and then shut out No. 10 Florida 4-0 in the semifinals before taking out the sixth-ranked Volunteers.   

Norberg was the only player in the SEC to go undefeated in league play during the regular season and has been the heart and soul of the team’s success this spring according to Chadwick.

“It is great,” Norberg said of earning MVP honors.  I don’t know what to say. Everybody on the team was amazing this year. To go undefeated in the SEC and win the tournament is a great accomplishment, not just for me but the whole team. I think I have been playing pretty well, and Otto and I have been playing pretty well in doubles during the tournament, better than we played during the regular-season conference matches. My singles matches have been going well too.  Today was a little rough, but I’m happy with the way I played.”

The Rebels will now wait to see if the tournament championship will catapult them ahead of undefeated Virginia in the national rankings.  Virginia held a narrow 1.6 point advantage over Ole Miss in last week’s rankings.

Also Tuesday, the NCAA Championship selections and regional host sites will be revealed at 4:20 p.m. on ESPNews.  Fans are invited to join both coaching staffs of the men’s and women’s tennis teams at the Library on the square beginning at 3 p.m.

DOUBLES

1. Smith/Sandgren (UT) def. Berg/ten Berge (OM) 8-5

2. Britton/Tucker Vorster (OM) def. Conkic/Fago (UT) 8-3

3. Norberg/Sauer (OM) def. Brewer/Bryan Swartz (UT) 8-3

Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3

SINGLES

1. J.P. Smith (UT) def. Jonas Berg (OM) 6-3, 7-6(5)

2. Devin Britton (OM) def. Boris Conkic (UT) 7-5, 6-4

3. Kalle Norberg (OM) vs. Matteo Fago (UT) 6-7(5), 1-4, sus.

4. Davey Sandgren (UT) def. Bram ten Berge (OM) 7-5, 6-3

5. Otto Sauer (OM) def. Christian Hansen (UT) 6-4, 6-1

6. Marcel Thiemann (OM) def. Matt Brewer (UT) 6-1, 6-3     

Order of Finish: 6, 5, 4, 1, 2

As 2008 comes to an end, it’s time to reflect and get ready for the upcoming year.  Now is the time to get in the game, if you are not already.  It is time to clean out those tennis bags and start the new year fresh.  It is time to look at the tennis schedule and figure out what you would like to play this year.  Write down you goals.  You will be amazed at what you can accomplish if you hold yourself accountable.  Also, get your friends involved in tennis.  You know they will love it if they give it a try.  Buy this tennis ball magnet to put on your car…Tennis Ball 5.75″ Circle Car Magnet  Let everyone know you play and are proud of it.  Tennis is a great game you can play for life.  Spread the love!  Happy New Year!

I need information for this site.  Please send me photos, articles and accomplishments so that I can post them for you. The new year is coming and I want this site to be the place to go for Junior Tennis News in Mississippi.

Devin called this morning at 5:45 am, He qualified for Junior Wimbledon. I could hear the excitement in his voice. This was his last shot and he won. He beat the 8th seed Cheng-Peng Hsieh, TPE 6-3, 6-2, then this morning beat the 15th seed Sudanwa Sitaram, IND 6-3 6-3.

Devin had previously played Roehampton, trying to qualify for Wimbledon that was. He won both of his Roehampton qualifying matches, beating Alexander Bull, GBR 6-2, 6-3 and the 1 seed (37 in the world) Filip Krajinovic SRB (a room mate at the Academy) 7-5, 6-2. In the main draw, however, playing in 70 mph winds he played a fellow American and eventual semi-finalist, Bradley Klann USA and lost 6-2, 6-1. Devin said Bradley played amazing.

But he is in now and will be in London a while longer. Devin plays at noon Monday. Check out www.wimbledom.org.

Also you can watch him play through the media zone link on the right hand side of this page.

Devin Britton, Brandon, MS had to battle through several top American Players to the finals today in Philadelphia. His 1st round was against a qualifier, Johnathan Cypers, NY 6-1. 6-1, Next round he beat Ryan Noble, NC 6-3, 6-4. Then when playing Frank Carleton, PA in the quarters, Frank had to retire down a set and a break because he tripped on the scoring device and twisted his ankle. In the semi-finals Devin played Jordan Cox. He and Devin had been hanging out all week. He beat Jordan 6-4, 6-4. Today, it was a match up of two friends and two boys that love the grass. Ryan Lipman was a semi-finalist here last year. Devin served very big until serving at 6-5… He got a little tight and lost his serve after being up 30-0. He kept his composure and captured the title 6-4, 7-6(9-7). Now he is heading to England for Roehampton and Wimbledon.