Rodenas, Williams, Winegar compete for Duke men's tennis at NCAA Individual Championships

Duke men’s tennis competed in the 2024 NCAA Division I Singles and Doubles Championships this week at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas. Freshman Cooper Williams stood out as the only member of the Blue Devils to qualify for both the singles and doubles events.

However, he fell in the second round in singles after fellow competitor Pedro Rodenas was eliminated in his first matchup. Williams and graduate Theo Winegar won their first doubles match, but lost in the Round of 16 to a pair from Ohio State. 

To start singles, Williams faced Yale’s Vignesh Gogineni and secured a solid victory in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. The result was no surprise, as Williams, named ITA National Rookie of the Year and an ITA All-American during his freshman year at Harvard, entered the match as a favorite.

Rodenas, on the other hand, faced a daunting challenge against No. 8-seed Aidan Kim of Ohio State. Struggling to find his rhythm, Rodenas fell in consecutive sets, 6-1, 6-3. Duke closed the first day of competition with a split record in singles play: one win and one loss.

Williams faced Texas’ Timo Legout, seeded No. 9-16, in a marathon match, but ultimately fell in three sets, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-1. Williams started strong, rallying from a deficit to take the opening set in a tiebreaker, but Legout bounced back with a late break in the second set and controlled the decider to eliminate Duke from any further play in the singles side of the tournament.

Williams and Columbia transfer Winegar made up the sole doubles team in contention for the Blue Devils and were seeded No. 5-8 coming into the tournament. The two had a dramatic comeback against Florida’s Tanapatt Nirundorn and Henry Jefferson, winning 1-6, 7-6 (5), 1-0 (8). After dropping the first set, the Duke pair fought back to claim the second in a tiebreaker and edged out the match with a remarkable rally in the third-set tiebreaker, sealing eight of the last nine points. 

The match highlighted the new pair’s resilience and determination early in the season, showcasing their ability to stay composed under pressure and adapt to challenging situations. Their ability to recover from significant deficits bodes well for their potential as a doubles team moving forward.

Williams and Winegar faced Ohio State’s Bryce Nakashima and William Jansen in a tightly contested Round of 16 matchup but ultimately fell 6-4, 7-6 (1). The first set saw both pairs trading early breaks, with the Blue Devils rallying to level the score at 3-3. However, the Buckeyes capitalized on a late break to take the opening set. In the second, Williams and Winegar showed their grit, matching Ohio State point for point and even breaking ahead to gain a 5-4 lead. However, the Buckeyes immediately responded with a break of their own, forcing a tiebreaker. Once there, Nakashima and Jansen took control, playing nearly flawless tennis to secure the set and the match.