May 28, 2005

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - For the second time in his career Baylor's Benedikt Dorsch has advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. This season's championships are being held at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas. Dorsch finished second in the 2003 NCAA Tournament in his first season at Baylor. The six time All-American (three singles and three doubles) has posted two set wins in every match of the NCAA singles bracket en route to reaching the semifinals.

With matches delayed an hour due to rain in the College Station area, Dorsch, a senior and the tournament's top seed, raised his season record to 34-2 and posted his 11th-straight win with his 6-4, 6-2 win over 49th-ranked Greg Ouellette of Florida. The Weiden, Germany, native, recently named the ITA Senior Player of the Year, will now take on Harvard's Jonathan Chu, ranked No. 32, on Sunday at noon. Chu advanced to the semifinals by posting a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(6) win over 16th-ranked Franticek Babej of South Alabama.

Dorsch is highest ranked (No. 2) and seeded (No. 1) player remaining in the tournament. Pierrik Ysern of San Diego, a 9-16 seed and 10th-ranked, and 37th-ranked Izak van der Merwe of Old Dominion will face each other in the other semifinal. Van der Merwe defeated Baylor's Benjamin Becker, defending NCAA champion, in the round of 16.

NCAA Singles Quarterfinals Results:
(#2) Benedikt Dorsch [1], Baylor def. (#49) Greg Ouellette, Florida 6-4, 6-2
(#32) Jonathan Chu, Harvard def. (#3) Jesse Witten [3], Kentucky 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(6)
(#10) Pierrik Ysern [9-16], San Diego def. (#4) Catalin Gard [4], Ole Miss 7-6(5), 6-0
(#37) Izak van der Merwe, Old Dominion def. (#11) Benjamin Kohlloeffel [9-16], UCLA 6-3, 5-7, 6-3

NCAA Singles Semifinals:
Sunday, 12 p.m.
(#2) Benedikt Dorsch [1], Baylor vs. (#32) Jonathan Chu, Harvard
(#10) Pierrik Ysern [9-16], San Diego vs. (#37) Izak van der Merwe, Old Dominion

ITA rankings in parentheses with seeds in brackets.