Aaron Skinner (Trinity) def. Robert Kjellberg (NCW) 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5)
So Aaron Skinner just won the national championship. I guess you could say that was a little bit of a surprise. I’m hoping I’m not the only one who didn’t see that coming. Anyways, this victory is a great sign for TU, a program that is in great need of a star after the departure of Frey. They were always going to be very deep this year, but they needed someone who would win at #1, and DelaFuente wasn’t about to get that done. Congrats to Skinner and the entire TU team because that’s just amazing!
What a heartbreaker for Kjellberg. If he truly did serve for it in the second, he finally got a taste of his own medicine I guess. I really thought he was going to win the tournament, but I guess Skinner was just too clutch. His performance will be absolutely instrumental in NWC’s success this year, as he’s basically the only proven winner on the roster. Still, the Bishops have the reputation of being one of the hardest working teams in the country, and I’m sure they will improve a lot in the next couple months. I still don’t feel they have any business being at Indoors.
Paul Burgin (Kenyon) def. Andy Hersh (Hopkins) 6-3, 3-6, 11-9
Ummmm, why did they play a 10-point tiebreakers? I am firmly of the belief that 10-pointers are no way to accurately determine who the better player is (not to take anything away from Burgin. I just hate 10-pointers). Anyways, Hersh’s loss to Skinner doesn’t look that bad at this point, and his performance in this one was admirable. Losing in a 10-pointer always feels a little cheap, but between this and doubles, again, I’m going to go way out on a limb and say Hopkins is going to be good this year.
I’m going to go even farther out on that same limb and say Kenyon is going to be good this year too. I don’t know what makes me say these crazy things, but that’s just how I feel. Burgin’s gotta feel great finishing 3rd in the country after falling in the final of his regional.
Adam Putterman (Wash U) def. Neel Kotrappa (CMS) 6-1, 6-0
Ouch. Putterman is angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. Well, this is about what I would expect in a Putterman vs. Kotrappa match, but I don’t know what to believe about this tournament anymore. Once again, the loss to Skinner doesn’t look that mystifying anymore, and his next two victories were pretty dominant, so it appears he will be one of the top #1s in the country. That was never the question for Wash U, though. They need to put together some solid doubles teams if they’re going to repeat their FInal Four appearance.
Despite the big loss, I would say throwing Kotrappa at #3 or 4 would qualify as a good sign for CMS.
Oliver Loutsenko (Skidmore) def. Mya Smith-Dennis (GAC) 6-2, 6-2
There goes the chances of me ever picking an upset ever again. In all seriousness, good for Loutsenko digging deep after a couple disappointing losses to go home with a victory and some pride. He’s going to need to be a rock for Skidmore this year. No shame in the loss for Smith-Dennis. He had a great run in his regional tournament, and was just a little outmatched in Alabama (not to mention that he wasn’t exactly playing in his favorite conditions). It will be interesting to see what GAC does with their lineup this year.
Skinner has no losses against current D3 players in his career. In fact, the only current D3 player to win a set against him is Kjellberg. Note he did lose to Frey in straights of ITA semi’s last year. This is based off info on ITA website. Interesting. I’d say a lot of players and coaches overlooked this guy.
Probably because he only played in two dual matches against ranked teams, an unfinished against Bowdoin and a win over Skidmore…at 6. How could you not “overlook” him? That’s an interesting stat and all, but it’s only impressive if you’ve actually played matches. No disrespect to Skinner at all, in fact just the opposite. But…that comment is a little out of perspective. It’s still the fall…
If he really is this good, I can’t wait to see him play #1 all year and take down the rest of “us” (absent fall players) 1 by 1 during the spring. Not taking away from his fall accomplishments at all what so ever…bravo Skinner. All I’m saying is, Prove It!
Well, no one ever goes completely undefeated, with maybe the exception of Pottish (who graduated), so I think your comment is inaccurate. So, while I agree that calling him undisputed #1 is a mistake, I think that you could certainly claim he has the potential to be amongst the best (even in the coveted West Region).
feb 24 he lost to rodgers of ucsc
No that was Charlie Curtis. Skinner did not play against UCSC
Skinner won, top in the country it can’t be disputed
in my mind, this is the biggest pretournament upset in this tournaments history, but skinner deserved it when looking at his wins and dont forget, he played a play in match in addition. i think everyone who saw this result respects the effort. however, something tells me skinner needs to send roses to loutsenko and chocolates to burgin for pushing kjellberg to decisive sets each time and in my mind kjellberg deserves as much credit as skinner coming back time and time again in third sets.
I think you’re silly if you say that this was a huge fluke for Skinner, but at the same time he isn’t a guy like Putterman who can be counted on match in and match out for wins (yet). In any case, massive result for anyone especially a guy like Skinner.
In other matches, I think it’s pretty impressive that Hersch was able to bounce back the way he did and basically play an equal match with Burgin. Although like you said Burgin should not have been in, I’m sure once he saw Putterman exit first round he smelled the title in my mind he was certainly a favorite even though I know you’re very big on Kjellberg. Hopefully he feels better after winning the 10 pointer today. Hopkins and Kenyon may very well be the best two teams in D3 right now (of course Amherst will be in there but with their two recent losses I can’t put them in the top 2). No surprise with Putterman taking 5th, and I think Loutsenko solidified himself as a top 5 national player with his rout of Smith-Dennis. Had he gotten Smith-Dennis and not Kjellberg as he should have in the first round he could have and clearly would have made it to at least the semis I interpret his match yesterday as pure disappointment from not closing it at 6-2 5-5 in the first rnd.
I appreciate the comment, but I think you’re overlooking Williams, Emory, and CMS as potentially better than Hopkins and Kenyon. There’s also no way Loutsenko is in the top 5 nationally. He didn’t even place in the top 5 in the tournament, and there are so many players who didn’t get there because of injury or a tough regional or whatever else (Yaraghi, Razumovsky, Ballou, Wood, Fife, Crampton, Berg, Sun, Halpern, Ruderman, Fritz, Kahan, Meyer, Ballou, to name a few)
Emory lost Pottish and Goodwin (not to mention there next best singles player Kowalski transferred). They are going to have a very, very tough time repeating
Agreed, but Halpern, Ruderman, and Wagner were all basically undefeated against DIII players last year. Just because they played behind Pottish and Goodwin doesn’t mean they aren’t top-of-the-lineup players. I think it’s too easy to write off Emory because they lost their top 2 (and Kowalski), but I don’t legitimately believe they will repeat. Time will tell
Emory is realy going to miss Kowalski in doubs as well.
Haha, Thanks for naming me twice… But your spot on. Those teams you just named, Williams, Emory, CMS will be teams that will be at the top spots because of how good individually all there players are. Hopkins and Kenyon are good yes, but not as deep as the other 3.
Congrats to Skinner. Great job of competing. It will be interesting to watch what the Trinity team does this spring. Go Tigers!!
The #1 doubles team of Skinner/Mayer were also impressive, despite losing their “play-in” match to the team of La Cava & Rivers from Whitman…tough not to imagine that Trinity will have excellent depth in doubles this year.