ORLANDO, FLA./WASHINGTON, May 30, 2021 (by Michael Dickens)
A week after leading the University of Florida to its first NCAA team title, junior captain Sam Riffice won an individual title, too.
At the NCAA Championships at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla., which concluded with individual finals in men’s and women’s singles and doubles on Friday, the sixth-seeded Riffice defeated Daniel Rodrigues of the University of South Carolina, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
HE’S DONE IT! @RifficeSam is a NATIONAL CHAMPION! 🏆#GatorsMTN #GoGators 🐊🎾 pic.twitter.com/h7geMMEUHK
— Gators Men’s Tennis (@GatorsMTN) May 28, 2021
In the women’s singles final, University of Virginia freshman Emma Navarro beat defending NCAA champion Estela Perez-Somarriba of the University of Miami, 6-3, 6-1.
WAHOOWA!!!! Congratulations to #NCAATennis Singles Champion Emma Navarro #GoHoos⚔️ pic.twitter.com/mU73kzLjfA
— Virginia Women’s Tennis (@UVAWomensTennis) May 28, 2021
The men’s doubles title was won by University of Tennessee Aussie duo Adam Walton and Pat Harper, who defeated the English pair of Tad Maclean and Finn Murgett of Auburn University,7-6 (5), 2-6, 13-11.
🟠⚪ Champion status 🟠⚪
Adam Walton & Pat Harper clinch the @NCAATennis men’s doubles title 7-6(5), 2-6, 13-11 over Murgett & Maclean pic.twitter.com/003wMbMbz8
— USTA (@usta) May 28, 2021
The University of North Carolina’s Makenna Jones and Elizabeth Scotty defeated Katie Collins and Lulu Sun of the University of Texas, 7-6, 4-6, 10-8, to win the women’s doubles title.
💪 National Champs 💪
Makenna Jones & Elizabeth Scotty take the women’s doubles title after defeating Collins & Sun 7-6(3), 4-6, 10-8 pic.twitter.com/Ej2tV6uubU
— USTA (@usta) May 28, 2021
After reaching the men’s final by knocking out No. 1 seed Liam Draxl of the University of Kentucky in the semifinals, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-1, Riffice saved seven of 10 break points he faced en route to his title victory against the No. 2 seed Rodrigues. He became the third University of Florida men’s player to win the NCAA singles title and eighth player since 2000 to win both an NCAA team and individual title in the same year.
Riffice called contributing to Florida’s team championship and winning the individual title “the two greatest moments” of his young tennis life.
Comeback complete 🐊
Sam Riffice claims the @NCAATennis men’s singles title after defeating Daniel Rodrigues 3-6, 6-1, 6-4! pic.twitter.com/Dbq1hR29LI
— USTA (@usta) May 28, 2021
WOW 👏 @RifficeSam heads home with not 1️⃣ but 2️⃣ @NCAATennis National Titles 🏆
Hear what Sam said post-match ⬇️ & watch for him at this year’s @usopen as he’s now earned himself a wild card 🤩 #NCAATennis #GoGators
Sam, you deserve it! Congratulations 🎉 pic.twitter.com/r4djkqtjXO
— TennisONE (@TennisONEApp) May 28, 2021
Meanwhile, in the women’s final, after No. 3 seed Navarro lost the first two games, she won 12 of the next 14 against No. 2 seed Perez-Somarriba to avenge her only defeat this season.
“I set out today to be super aggressive and dictate with my forehand and I think I was able to do that,” said Navarro, who finished her freshman year 19-1, during a post-match news conference. “I finished a lot of points in my backhand. A big thing for me is, as my coach and I say, getting outside the box – so using my backhand down the line and using drop shots and coming to the net, that sort of thing that I don’t do as naturally. I set out to do a lot of that today and I think that worked well.”
Emma Navarro defeats defending champion Estela Perez-Somarriba 6-3, 6-1 to win the @NCAATennis women’s singles title! pic.twitter.com/oWitABRcmw
— USTA (@usta) May 28, 2021
Emma Navarro crowned 👑 2021 @NCAATennis Women’s Singles CHAMPION, is humble even right after victory 🙌 @UVAWomensTennis
Watch Emma’s post-match ⬇️ & catch her at the @usta @BillieJeanKing National Tennis Center as a @usopen wild card later this year👏 #NCAATennis pic.twitter.com/LiATVS4kQg
— TennisONE (@TennisONEApp) May 28, 2021
Navarro became the first freshman to the NCAA singles title since 2009 and is the eighth overall. She’s the third University of Virginia tennis player to win an NCAA singles title, joining Danielle Collins (2014, 2016) and Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (2017).
