Georgia Freshman Ethan Quinn Wins NCAA Singles National Championship
For the fifth time in program history, the University of Georgia Men’s tennis program has claimed a singles national title as redshirt freshman Ethan Quinn defeated senior Ondrej Styler from Michigan 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-2 In the NCAA Men’s Singles Championship Finals.
The Fresno, California native becomes the first Bulldog to win a singles national title since Matias Boeker won consecutive titles in 2001 and 2002. With his victory over Styler, Quinn closed out the 2023 dual-match season winning 17 consecutive matches and 22 of his last 23 matches dating back to February 19. The freshman phenom played No.1 singles for Georgia in every one of the Bulldogs’ matches and entered the tournament ranked No.2 nationally in the ITA singles rankings. He went 34-10 overall and 26-7 against ranked opponents during his first season in Athens.
Quinn jumped out to an early lead in the first set, twice breaking Styler’s serve to take a 5-2 lead. However, serving for the first set at 5-2, Quinn’s serve was broken by the Michigan senior, who then held serve followed by another break of Quinn’s serve to tie the match at 5-5. Styler and Quinn then each held in their final services of the first set to set-up a first set tiebreak. In the tiebreak, it was Styler who jumped out to the quick lead and he never looked back winning the first set 7-6 (2).
Georgia freshman Ethan Quinn became the fifth Bulldog to win a singles national championship
Styler carried his momentum into the second set, breaking Quinn’s first service and then holding his own to take an early 2-0 lead in the second set. Down 3-2, Quinn broke back to tie the second set at 3-3. However, the Georgia freshman was unable to capitalize, as Styler broke his next service to take a 4-3 lead. Styler then held his next service to take a 5-3 lead. After Quinn held his service to cut Styler’s lead to 5-4, the Michigan senior jumped out to a 40-0 lead in the next game. However, facing four match points, Quinn showed tremendous resiliency to fight back and break Styler’s serve to tie the second set at 5-5. The two players then held their final services of the second set to send the match to another tiebreak. This time, however, it was the Georgia freshman who won the tightly contested tiebreak 7-6 (5).
Quinn rode the wave of momentum from his furious close to the second set into the decisive third set, breaking Styler’s opening service to take a 1-0 lead. Quinn’s service was broken at 2-1, but he immediately responded by breaking his opponent’s serve and reeling off four-consecutive games to win the match in thrilling fashion 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-2.
Georgia Head Coach Manuel Diaz was impressed with the fight and composure that his young star showed in the biggest match of his career.
"It was a match with a lot of big momentum swings," Diaz said. "In the end there, when Styler served for the match, you need to make some returns and he gave himself a chance. Ethan played with a little bit more freedom, and somehow it earned one point, then the other. It just seemed that time slowed down for him a little bit. He was patient when he needed to be and played assertively when he needed to in the end. I'm super proud of him for showing the grit and continuing to fight the good fight. He earned a great win for himself and our program."
Quinn’s singles national championship is only his latest conquest in one of the more remarkable freshman seasons in Georgia Tennis history. The Fresno native went undefeated in the fall season en route to winning the ITA Fall Singles National Championship and was recently named the SEC freshman of the year. Now, after adding an NCAA singles championship to his resume, the talented freshman has written his name alongside Mikael Pernfors (1984, 1985) and Matias Boeker (2001, 2002) in Bulldog tennis lore as one of only three players in program history to win an NCAA singles national championship.
