Men's Tennis
    Steve Johnson Streaks Back To NCAA Title Match
    Trojan senior is looking for back-to-back singles titles to go with his four team championships.
    Steve Johnson beat 2010 NCAA champ Bradley Klahn in today's 2012 NCAA semifinal.
    Steve Johnson beat 2010 NCAA champ Bradley Klahn in today's 2012 NCAA semifinal.

    May 27, 2012

    ATHENS, GA. - In a semifinal battle of past NCAA champions, USC senior Steve Johnson kept his win streak alive at an unparalleled 71 straight victories while pocketing a spot in the NCAA title match for the second consecutive year on a 6-4, 7-5 win over longtime rival Bradley Klahn of Stanford. Johnson now turns to face Kentucky's Eric Quigley in tomorrow's NCAA Singles Championship match at 12 p.m. ET at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga.

    Today's NCAA singles semifinal pitted Johnson against a very familiar foe in Klahn. The two California natives have known each other since age 10 and beaten each other countless times. Today, 2011 NCAA Singles Champion Johnson exacted an extra dose of revenge over 2010 NCAA Singles Champion Klahn - who was the last player to beat Johnson over 16 months ago - with a straight-set semifinal victory.

    It was a tough battle as expected. The two rivals stayed on serve down the stretch of the first set before top-ranked Johnson cracked #38 Klahn with a break to win the first 6-4. In the second, Johnson got up a break again early, only to have Klahn hang in and even the score right back to take the second down to the wire as well. This time, Klahn stuck with Johnson for a 5-5 lockup, but Johnson would make his move. Holding for a 6-5 advantage, Johnson made one last stand in the next game to break Klahn for the 6-4, 7-5 win and snag the right to play for a second straight national championship.

    Johnson has already made NCAA history as a four-time team champion who also claims one NCAA singles crown to his name. But he's preparing to add to his hardware as he aims for back-to-back singles titles tomorrow (May 27), facing Kentucky's #3 Quigley for the first time this year.

    Complete USC results and schedules below:

    MEN'S NCAA SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIPS (Dan Magill Tennis Complex - Athens, Ga.)
    First Round - May 23
    [1] #1 Steve Johnson (USC) def. #31 Ray Kalmanovich (ILL) - 6-2, 6-3
    #21 Daniel Nguyen (USC) def. #44 Charlie Jones (VAND) - 6-0, 3-6, 6-3
    #50 Louis Cant (MissSt) def. #51 Yannick Hanfmann (USC) - 6-3, 6-4
    #57 Emilio Gomez (USC) def. #49 Nikola Bubnic (USD) - 6-4, 6-4
    #25 Ray Sarmiento (USC) def. #120 Nick Sayer (RAD) - 6-1, 6-1

     

     

    Round of 32 - May 24
    [1] #1 Steve Johnson (USC) def. #53 Nassim Slilam (FLA) - 6-3, 6-2
    [5] #5 Henrique Cunha (DUKE) def. #21 Daniel Nguyen (USC) - 6-4, 6-4
    [9-16] #9 Blaz Rola (OhioSt) def. #57 Emilio Gomez (USC) - 7-6 (5), 6-3
    [2] #2 Mitchell Frank (UVA) def. #25 Ray Sarmiento (USC) - 6-4, 6-1

    Round of 16 - May 25
    [1] #1 Steve Johnson (USC) def. #55 Neal Skupski (LSU) - 6-3, 5-5 ret. (inj.)

    Quarterfinals - May 26
    [1] #1 Steve Johnson (USC) def. #39 Alex Domijan (UVA) - 6-0, 5-7, 6-1

    Semifinals - May 27
    [1] #1 Steve Johnson (USC) def. #36 Bradley Klahn (STAN) - 6-4, 7-5

    Championship - May 28
    [1] #1 Steve Johnson (USC) vs. [3] #3 Eric Quigley (KENTUCKY) - 12 p.m. ET

    MEN'S NCAA DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS
    Round of 32 - May 24
    [2] #2 S. Johnson/Quiroz (USC) def. #11 Marsland/Watling (TULSA) - 6-3, 6-3

    Round of 16 - May 25
    [2] #2 S. Johnson/Quiroz (USC) def. #28 Botha/Doverspike (ALA) - 6-3, 7-5

    Quarterfinals - May 26
    #18 Carvalho/Escobar (TexasTech) def. [2] #2 S. Johnson/Quiroz (USC) - 6-2, 3-2 ret.