May 22, 2002

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - For the first time in the program's history, Baylor has two players advance to the round of 32 in the NCAA Men's Tennis Tournament. Freshman Benjamin Becker and junior Zoltan Papp each won their matches in first day tournament action.

Becker, an all-American by virtue of his No. 8 tournament seed, took a while to get on track. Vedran Vidovic of Indiana State broke Becker's serve to begin the match then held his serve and eventually led 3-1. From that point on, Becker won seven straight games and cruised on to victory 6-3, 6-4. Becker, a native of Orscholz, Germany, is now 37-8 on the season in singles.

Papp, a junior from Budapest, Hungary, won his 13th straight match when his opponent, Phil Metz of Ohio State, was forced to retire due to injury. Metz turned his ankle trying to return a baseline shot. Papp was leading 5-3 when the injury occurred. Papp is now 39-8 on the season and has won 29 of his last 31 matches.

Both players will be in action on Thursday. Times will be announced at the end of today's matches. Becker will play the winner of the John Chesworth (Furman)/Nick Rainey (USC) match and Papp will face either Portland's Travis Parrott or Texas' Jean Simone. Papp faced both players in the Rice Invitational in early January. He defeated Simon in the round of 32, 6-4, 6-4, and lost to Parrott in the finals 6-4, 6-2.

Sophomores Nathan McGregor and Markus Hornung will play their first doubles match on Thursday when they face Pepperdine's Sebastien Graeff and Stefan Suter.