Home Boys' Lists Girls' Lists Men's Teams Women's Teams News Photos Contributors Links Help Sign-UpOnline Store
Latest News | Categories | Authors | News Archives
 
 

News & Features

College Feature
Talking with UVa's Mitchell Frank
Share:    

It didn't take long for Virginia sophomore Mitchell Frank to drop his first set at No. 3 singles in the NCAA Team Championship match by a 6-0 score.

Mitchell Frank clinches for Virginia
courtesy, Virginia Athletics
But Frank regrouped to win the second set 6-4. Then, after UCLA's Adrien Puget accidentally stepped on the net on championship point to keep UVa's hopes alive, Frank came back from 3-5 to clinch the title for the Cavaliers with a 0-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory.

NBC's Harry Cicma, who was the primary commentator for last week's NCAA Championships broadcast, caught up with Frank after the match.

 

Questions and Answers

Harry Cicma (HC): That was a very dramatic outcome for the NCAA Men's National title. Mitchell, you're only a sophomore, how does it feel?

Mitchell Frank (MF): I don't think words can describe it, all the hard work our team has put in - I knew that I was doing it for more than myself, and that is something very special. I was just telling myself during the match - just to leave it all out there, and luckily I was able to get the win. That's all you can do.

Adrien Puget played an unbelievable match out there, and he played great. It's unfortunate that someone had to win or lose, but obviously I'm happier to be in the winner's circle instead of the loser's circle.

 

HC: What does this win mean for UVa to win it's first ever men's team title?

MF: It mean's everything - to be part of it, and to be able to clinch that. It's funny, because I had this feeling that it was going to come down to me, and I was mentally preparing for a moment like this. I was just out there doing everything I could.

I was a little lucky that he touched the net on his match point, but at the end of the day, I knew I just had to stay resilient. I did, and it came out well.

 

HC: To be an American and win a National title, how special is that?

Frank plans to return for his junior year
© ZooTennis.com
MF: It means everything. Before I came to college, I played matches for myself. But to share it with a team and other people is incredible - words can't describe it.

I trained extremely hard all year. The first couple rounds in the NCAA I wasn't able to finish matches, and I was definitely feeling nerves. But to be able to come through in the end feels incredible.

 

HC: What does the future hold for you now?

MF: I'll play a full schedule of pro tournaments this summer, and we'll see how those go. I'll probably be back at school in the fall and chase after another national championship.

 

Leave a Comment

 

More College Coverage

24-Apr-2024
Avila University Prepares to Launch Tennis Programs
Avila University, an NAIA Division I institution located in Kansas City, is launching men's and women's tennis programs. The teams will begin play in the fall, and the coach as plenty of scholarships to offer to fill both rosters.

15-Apr-2024
Houston Captures National Collegiate Wheelchair Title
Houston captured the team title at the 2024 ITA National Wheelchair Tennis Championships over the weekend to end Alabama's seven-year run. Arizona’s Eric Court, Alabama’s Martha Harris, Auburn’s Gabe Puthoff and Houston’s Nicholas Tijerina advanced to the Final Four Showcase.

8-Apr-2024
San Francisco Discontinues Men's and Women's Programs
The University of San Francisco announced last Friday that its men's and women's tennis programs will be discontinued following the end of this season. University officials cited the need to save money and be more efficient in athletic spending.

 
 College Coverage Index |   Subscribe

 

About Harry Cicma

When it comes to college tennis, Harry Cicma is your man. Cicma covers tennis and other athletic stories for NBC Sports, writing articles and producing video segments.

He is co-founder and host of World Tennis a weekly tennis show on NESN, and host of of Tennis Live Radio's College Corner.

Cicma competed as a junior in USTA/New England and went on to play college tennis at Rutgers University. As a professional, Cicma competed at the ATP Newport tournament and the San Jose Siebel Open. He reached a career-high #75 in the ATP doubles team rankings and #1262 in the ATP Entry System.

In media, Cicma has run the gamut. He has worked for NBC, CBS, ABC, ESPN, FOX Sports Net, the Tennis Channel, and World Team Tennis. Cicma has announced NCAA sports as well as the US Open Tennis Championships on both TV and radio.

 
 DIADEM
 
Nova V3 | Explosive Power
 
In the fast-paced world of tennis, where precision and power are paramount, Diadem Sports proudly introduces the Nova V3 series, a groundbreaking fusion of cutting-edge technology and unparalleled performance.
 
RECENT COMMITMENTS
 
RECENT HEADLINES
ITA NEWS
THE LATEST FROM ZOOTENNIS
4/24 Top Three Girls Seeds Out at ITF J500 Offenbach; First ATP Points for Lee, Woestendick at Vero Beach $15K; 122nd Edition of The Ojai Underway; SEC and…
4/23 Juniors Flood Vero Beach $15K; Urhobo Qualifies at Charlottesville $75K; Schwaerzler Beats Top Seed Wolf at Savannah Challenger; USTA Roland Garros…
4/22 Eight Americans Begin Play Tuesday at ITF J500 in Germany; First of Three J100s in Florida Underway; Kovackova Sweeps Another Tennis Europe U14 Super…
4/22 Four Top Seeds Win Conference Titles, but Florida State Ends ACC Run of Virginia Men; Madrid Masters 1000 Wild Cards for Grant and Blanch; Stephens…
4/21 Grant Claims Second ITF J300 ITF in France; Krueger Reaches Tallahassee Challenger Final; Two Surprise Finalists for Men's SEC and ACC Conference…
Colette Lewis has covered topflight junior events as a freelance journalist for over a decade. Read her weekly column, follow her on Twitter, and and find more of her daily commentary at ZooTennis.
 

Page updated on Monday, March 11, 2024
Contact our web team with any corrections