Virginia men's tennis makes history

When it comes to the indoor season, the Virginia men’s tennis program continues to crush everything in its way.

On Monday in Seattle, top-ranked UVa became the first school to ever win four straight ITA Indoor Team titles, obliterating third-ranked Tennessee, 4-0.

Virginia and Stanford had been the only schools to win three straight championships. The Cardinal won the first three events in the mid-1970s.

“We couldn’t be more pleased,” said Virginia coach Brian Boland, by phone from Seattle. “Obviously winning four national championships in a row is a great accomplishment -- I’m really proud of the guys.

“This team has worked really hard and continues to develop. They have bigger goals ahead, but for a moment we’re going to enjoy this.”

Added Virginia senior co-captain Michael “Showbiz” Shabaz: “We knew that it was going to be tough because every team was going to be gunning for us.

“We got better and better as each match went and were really comfortable and confident going into the finals.”

In singles, Tennessee, whom Virginia had defeated in the finals of last year’s ITA Indoors in Charlottesville, was no match.

Sophomore Jarmere Jenkins got the Wahoos rolling with a 6-1, 6-1 shellacking of Matteo Fago at No. 4. Just seconds later, Shabaz finished off Rhyne Williams in the No. 1 matchup, defeating the No. 1-ranked player in the country, 6-2, 6-2.

“I know Ryan well and know he’s capable of playing at a really high level,” Shabaz said. “I was really sharp today, and that happens. That’s part of sports. That’s why you have to play the matches.”

Freshman Alex Domijan, the No. 2-ranked player in the country, closed out the Volunteers with a workmanlike 6-2, 6-4 win over John-Patrick Smith at No. 2 singles.

“We were playing lights-out as a team,” Shabaz said.

Virginia, as it had throughout the four-day tournament, got off to a good start in doubles.

Shabaz and Domijan lost at No. 1, but UVa rebounded to win at No. 2 and 3. The teams of Sanam Singh and Jenkins, along with Drew Courtney and Steven Rooda, both won in tiebreakers to earn Virginia the opening point.

“I think our doubles played a significant part in our success as a team throughout the event and gave us a lot of momentum,” Boland said. “That was something we had not felt great about going into the event. The guys really embraced some changes that we needed to make and did a great job.”

Shabaz, who has won an indoor title in each of his four years, called the team’s overall effort “unbelievable.”

“To be consistent at a high level is very hard at anything you do,” he said. “To be able to come out here and put on another great week of tennis -- we definitely made strides as a team.

“This is part of the goals we set. We have a bigger goal at the end of May,” continued Shabaz, referring to a first-ever NCAA title, “but this a great step toward that goal. We’re excited and can’t be any happier.”