Rodrigues and Salle Reach NCAA Doubles Quarterfinals, Earn All-America Honors
May 25, 2023 | Men's Tennis
Natan Rodrigues and Fabien Salle become UofL’s second doubles team to earn All-America distinction
ORLANDO, Fla. The University of Louisville's Natan Rodrigues and Fabien Salle defeated Auburn's Raul Dobai and Finn Murgett iin the NCAA Doubles Championship Round of 16 to earn All-America status Thursday afternoon at the United States Tennis Association National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
Rodrigues and Salle become the second doubles team in program history to earn All-America distinction and the first since 2011 when Austen Childs and Viktor Maksimcuk did so after reaching the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championship.
In Thursday's round of 16 action, Rodrigues and Salle got off to a slow start with a 6-2 first-set loss to the Tigers' 17th-ranked pair. The Cards battled back to beat Dobai and Murgett 7-5 in the second set, moving the match to a 10-point tiebreaker. Rodrigues and Salle fell behind early, training 5-2 but fought back to tie the score at 5-5 and ultimately prevailed 10-8.
"We are so proud of Natan and Fabien for how they competed and battled today," said UofL head coach Rodrigo da Silva. "Auburn had them on the ropes, but they kept fighting to get the win and I am so happy for the guys to become All-Americans. Now we've got to get back to business to take on a very good Texas team in a quick turnaround today."
Rodrigues and Salle (26-7) advance to Thursday's 5 p.m. quarterfinal match to face Texas' No. 3-ranked Cleeve Harper and Eliot Spizzirri who defeated UTSA's No. 36-ranked Alan Magadan and Sebastian Rodriguez 7-5, 6-3 in their round of 16 match. Follow the NCAA Doubles Championships here.
NCAA Doubles Championship (Round of 16)
May 25, 2023 | USTA National Campus, Orlando, Fla.
No. 12 Natan Rodrigues/Fabien Salle (UL) def. No. 17 Raul Dobai/Finn Murgett (AU) 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-8)
Rodrigues and Salle become the second doubles team in program history to earn All-America distinction and the first since 2011 when Austen Childs and Viktor Maksimcuk did so after reaching the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championship.
In Thursday's round of 16 action, Rodrigues and Salle got off to a slow start with a 6-2 first-set loss to the Tigers' 17th-ranked pair. The Cards battled back to beat Dobai and Murgett 7-5 in the second set, moving the match to a 10-point tiebreaker. Rodrigues and Salle fell behind early, training 5-2 but fought back to tie the score at 5-5 and ultimately prevailed 10-8.
"We are so proud of Natan and Fabien for how they competed and battled today," said UofL head coach Rodrigo da Silva. "Auburn had them on the ropes, but they kept fighting to get the win and I am so happy for the guys to become All-Americans. Now we've got to get back to business to take on a very good Texas team in a quick turnaround today."
Rodrigues and Salle (26-7) advance to Thursday's 5 p.m. quarterfinal match to face Texas' No. 3-ranked Cleeve Harper and Eliot Spizzirri who defeated UTSA's No. 36-ranked Alan Magadan and Sebastian Rodriguez 7-5, 6-3 in their round of 16 match. Follow the NCAA Doubles Championships here.
NCAA Doubles Championship (Round of 16)
May 25, 2023 | USTA National Campus, Orlando, Fla.
No. 12 Natan Rodrigues/Fabien Salle (UL) def. No. 17 Raul Dobai/Finn Murgett (AU) 2-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-8)
Players Mentioned
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