ORLANDO, Fla. – After winning their first conference championship as part of The American and their first since 2005, the UCF men's tennis team jumps back into the top 10 at No. 9 in this week's Oracle/ITA rankings. The Black and Gold are one of just three teams to be ranked in the top 10 and have a singles player and doubles tandem ranked in the top 10.
The Knights are once again back at their program best ranking of No. 9, which they achieved earlier this season after beating Wake Forest in thrilling fashion. UCF is riding a 13-match winning streak heading into the NCAA Tournament.
Gabriel Decamps checks in at No. 10 in singles this week. He currently sits with a 16-4 record on the campaign and is 8-3 against ranked opposition. Right behind him is Juan Pablo Grassi Mazzuchi who rises to No. 87 this week. He has won his last four matches and is 15-5 this season, primarily playing at the No. 3 spot in singles where he is 10-4.
Trey Hilderbrand and Bogdan Pavel climb into the top 10 for the first time this season. The duo went as high as No. 3 together back in the fall of 2019 and return to the top 10 for the first time since then. The Knights' top tandem is 9-1 this season and are 6-1 against ranked opposition, all at the top spot in doubles.
UCF's two initial doubles teams from this season are ranked in doubles as well, even though they haven't played together since the team's match in Dallas against then-No. 48 SMU. Decamps and Hildebrand are ranked at No. 37 this week while Grassi Mazzuchi and Pavel are at No. 82.
The Knights are one of just three teams in the country that can say they are ranked in the top 10 as a team as well as having a player in the top 10 in singles as well as a top 10 tandem. The other two teams are No. 3 Tennessee and No. 8 Texas A&M.
Six other members of the American Athletic Conference are ranked in the Oracle/ITA top 50, a trend that has been consistent down the home stretch of the season. UCF bested then-No. 33 Wichita State and No. 29 South Florida on their way to The American title.
Due to scheduling situations caused by COVID-19, the Oracle/ITA releases a computerized ranking as well as a poll each week. The Black and Gold sit at No. 9 in the computer ranking and No. 9 in the poll. The Tennis Channel/USTA College Tennis Top 25 has UCF tied at No. 10 in their poll this week.
UP NEXT
The Knights await their placement in the NCAA Tournament. The selection show for the big dance will take place on May 3 on NCAA.com.
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