Giron wins UCLA's 11th men's singles title

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) Marcos Giron of UCLA beat Pepperdine's Alex Sarkissian 6-4, 6-1 to win the Bruins' 11th men's national singles title on Monday.

The second-seeded Giron (30-5) is the UCLA's first singles champion since Benjamin Kohlloeffel in 2006.

Sarkissian (34-10) was attempting to win the Waves' second NCAA title and first since 1988.

UCLA coach Billy Martin, who won a national singles title for the Bruins in 1975, called Giron ''the hardest-working kid'' he's had in 21 years overseeing the program.

Giron won after UCLA teammate Clay Thompson, the tournament's No. 1 seed, was upset in the first round by South Florida's Roberto Cid. Sarkissian beat Cid in the quarterfinals.

Giron's victory gives him an inside track to earn a spot in the main draw of the U.S. Open.