DURHAM – For the 22nd time in the last 25 seasons, the Duke men's tennis team will compete at the NCAA Team Championship, the NCAA announced Monday.
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The Blue Devils, who came in as the No. 36 team nationally by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), will make their way to Gainesville, Fla., for the first and second round play this weekend.
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Duke (12-10) will take on South Florida on Saturday at 10 a.m. in the opening round. Site hosts Florida (20-2) face South Alabama (12-7) on Saturday at 1 p.m. The winners of the two matches will face each other on Sunday at 2 p.m. The winner of that match will then advance to the championship rounds at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla., from May 16-28.
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Tickets to the event, which will be held at Florida's Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex, may be purchased in advance or on each day of the tournament. An all-session pass is $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, college students, and children under 12. Single day tickets for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens, college students, and children under 12.Â
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Gates will open for fans one hour prior to the start of the first competition each day. Based on updated recommendations from the NCAA's COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group local guidelines for fan attendance are not to exceed 50 percent of the venue capacity at any outdoor NCAA Championships. For ticket information please call, 352-375-4683.
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The Blue Devils have played South Florida six times, going 5-1 against the Bulls. Ironically, their last meeting came in the postseason with the Bulls claiming a 4-0 victory on May 12, 2017 in Athens, Ga., at the NCAA Team Championship. The two programs have faced off three times at neutral sites with the other two coming in 1982 (Auburn, Ala.) and 1989 (Corpus Christi, Texas).
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Duke owns an all-time record of 47-27 (.635) when competing in the NCAA Championship. The Blue Devils' last NCAA appearance was in 2018 when they fell to Mississippi, 4-3, in the Palo Alto, Calif. Duke has reached as far as the quarterfinals eight times (1993, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2012 and 2013).
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In 2021, the Blue Devils have been led by sophomore
Garrett Johns, who is ranked No. 74 nationally and played on the top court all season. Johns and senior
Sean Sculley form the top doubles team on the squad, playing to a 9-8 record and No. 20 ranking. No. 119
Edu Güell and All-ACC selection
Andrew Zhang add to Duke's depth in singles action as well.
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Singles and doubles selections for the 2021 NCAA Individual Championships will be announced Tuesday evening.
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#GoDuke
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