May 29, 2005

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - For the second time in his career Baylor's Benedikt Dorsch has advanced to the finals of the NCAA Tournament with his semifinals victory on Sunday afternoon. The 2005 NCAA Tournament is 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 four of his five matches of the NCAA singles bracket en route to reaching the finals.

Dorsch will attempt to become Baylor's second 2005 NCAA Tennis champion this season, freshman Zuzana Zemenova captured the women's singles championship on Saturday in Athens, Ga. Dorsch's teammate Benjamin Becker won the 2004 NCAA singles championship.

Dorsch, a senior and the tournament's top seed, raised his season record to 35-2 and posted his 12th-straight win on Sunday. In this first three-set match of the tournament, Dorsch scored a victory over 32nd-ranked Jonathan Chu of Harvard. Dorsch lost the first set 6-3 but regrouped and won the next two sets 6-4, 6-4 for his 118th-career win. The Weiden, Germany, native, recently named the ITA Senior Player of the Year, will now face 10th-ranked Pierrik Ysern of San Diego a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Izak van der Merwe of Old Dominion. The championship match will begin at 12 p.m.

The Tennis Channel will broadcast the singles championship match on Sunday, June 5 - 8 p.m. (Eastern); Tuesday, June 7 - 2 p.m. (Eastern); Thursday, June 9 - 10 p.m. (Eastern)

Dorsch owns a 118-15 singles rcaree record which ranks No. 2 on Baylor's career list. He ranks No. 1 on BU career charts in winning percentage in both singles and doubles. Dorsch owns an 88.7 winning percentage (118-15) in singles and a 79.0 winning percentage (83-22) in doubles.

NCAA Singles Semifinals:
12 p.m.
(#2) Benedikt Dorsch [1], Baylor def. (#32) Jonathan Chu, Harvard 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
(#10) Pierrik Ysern [9-16], San Diego def. (#37) Izak van der Merwe, Old Dominion 6-4, 6-4

NCAA Singles Finals:
12 p.m.
(#2) Benedikt Dorsch [1], Baylor vs. (#10) Pierrik Ysern [9-16], San Diego

ITA rankings in parentheses with seeds in brackets.