CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, Ill. — Clement Chidekh was upset in the first round of the NCAA Singles Championships today, bringing an end to the Huskies’ 2022 season as well as the final coaching duties for Head Coach Matt Anger.
Seeded No. 9-16, Chidekh had not played a match in over two weeks, while his opponent, Virginia’s Jeffrey von der Schulenburg, had played just yesterday in the NCAA Team Championship Finals. In the rust versus rest debate, rust seemed to win out today, as Chidekh struggled to find a serving rhythm, falling into 0-3 holes in both the first and second sets, getting broken twice each time.
In the first set, Chidekh fought back and got even at 4-4, but then he was broken again to go back down 4-5. He then won a deciding point in the next game to break von der Schulenburg for a third time for 5-5, but again Chidekh was unable to hold serve to take the lead. Von der Schulenburg broke again for 6-5, and this time he held to win the first set, 7-5.
In the second set, Chidekh again went down to breaks right away, and started to push back again, breaking serve and holding to get back within 2-3. But von der Schulenburg held and then broke again for a commanding 5-2 lead. Chidekh staved off two match points to break for 3-5, but a deciding point in the next game was won by the Virginia player to clinch the set and the match, 6-3.
Chidekh ends the season with a 28-5 record. By virtue of earning a top-16 seed in the singles tournament, he is expected to be named UW’s first All-American since 2013.
NCAA Singles Championship
First Round | May 23, 2022
Champaign-Urbana, Ill. | Khan Tennis Center
#45 Jeffrey von der Schulenburg (UVA) def. (9-16 seed) #8 Clement Chidekh (UW) – 7-5, 6-3
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