Univ. of Oklahoma Team Page
NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 14 University of Oklahoma men’s tennis team garnered four Big 12 individual regular season conference champions, the conference office announced Tuesday.
Senior Costin Paval and freshman Axel Alvarez Llamas were announced as the No. 1 and No. 4 singles positions champions, respectively.
Alvarez Llamas and junior Guillermo Alcorta partnered as the champions in the No. 2 doubles position. Paval and sophomore Dane Webb finished in a three-way tie with No. 1 tandems from Baylor and TCU.
No. 19 Paval, last year’s Big 12 Player of the Year, is 5-0 at the No. 1 position in the Big 12 and is one of only two Big 12 players playing in both No. 1 singles and doubles.
“I think he’s proven over the past two years that he’s probably overall the best player in the conference when you combine his singles with his doubles,” OU head coach John Roddick said. “I wouldn’t trade him for anyone on any team.”
Alvarez Llamas, in his first season with the Sooners, has played at both No. 3 and No. 4 singles and is ranked No. 74 in doubles with Alcorta.
“Any time you can have a freshman come in and play in the top part of your lineup looks good for his future and for ours,” Roddick said. “In doubles, I think there’s a comfort level for Axel playing with a guy that’s from the same country. They play similar styles, so I think it’s just a natural fit for them to play together.”
No. 36 Paval and Webb also played No. 1 doubles together in 2012 and were named All-Americans at the end of last season.
“With Dane and Costin, we know we have one of the best teams in the country,” Roddick said. “Every time we go out, between No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, we have a chance to win both. That makes things easier for the rest of the team.”
OU hosts the Big 12 Championships this weekend. After a bye on Friday, the Sooners face either Texas or Oklahoma State Saturday, April 27, at 12 p.m.
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