University of Minnesota Athletics
MANKAD CAPTURES INTERCOLLEGIATE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP
11/12/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
This is only the third time in tournament history that two unseeded players reached the men's singles final. Mankad, a junior who represented India in its Davis Cup tie against the United States last month, improves to 12-1 this season with the win.
"Coming into the tournament I was unseeded, so I didn't know what to expect," said Mankad, who will move up from his current No. 22 national singles ranking. "But everything seemed to click for me this week and it will do a lot for my confidence for the rest of this season."
Today's final was filled with momentum swings. Becker jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first set, only to see Mankad win five straight games and eventually force the tie-breaker. In the first set tie-breaker Becker led 5-2 and let it slip to 5-5 before winning the last two points.
Mankad needed only 18 minutes to take the second set 6-0. In the third, they exchanged service breaks in the opening two games, then both held serve the remainder of the way to force the tie-breaker. Mankad jumped out to a 6-1 lead thanks to two Becker double faults in the tie-break.
Mankad, the 2000 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, credits a busy schedule to his emergence into a national title winner.
"Last May down the stretch I had some big wins and was really playing well," Mankad said. "That continued for me in the summer when I played for 11 straight weeks. Then into the early fall with the Davis Cup. So I've been playing a lot of tennis, working hard and staying at it. I think it's all paying off, but I still have a ways to go."
