Redlicki-Zhu Falls Short in Quarters

ATHENS, Ga. – Hopes of a second consecutive UCLA doubles title were dashed Saturday, as the third-ranked and second-seeded duo of Martin Redlicki and Evan Zhu dropped its quarterfinal match to 15th-ranked Andrew Harris and Spencer Papa of Oklahoma, 6-1, 7-6 (4). The loss completed Redlicki-Zhu's season, as the duo dropped to 21-5.

The teams traded initial games in the first set, but Harris-Papa took each of the next five to cruise through the opening frame with a resounding 6-1 decision. The opening-set loss marked the first of the tournament for Redlicki-Zhu.

The Bruins dug their heels in during the second set, as Redlicki-Zhu took the first game. Harris-Papa responded with the next two and appeared poised to equal its first-set success. The UCLA tandem did not go quietly, though, as it took the next two games and re-established a lead at 3-2. The Sooners took the next three to take the first multi-game lead and move just one away from advancing.

Once again, Redlicki-Zhu showed resilience. The pair answered with three straight games of its own to take a 6-5 lead. Harris-Papa ultimately pulled even, though, and a tiebreaker proved necessary to either send the Sooners to the semifinals or both teams to a deciding third set. The teams found themselves knotted at four points apiece when Oklahoma turned a corner and took the next three and the match.

The Bruin duo, which played exclusively on Court 1 during dual-match play, went 17-3 in those matches. Over the course of the campaign, the pair won the clinching decision seven times, including once during the postseason. Redlicki-Zhu dispatched AJ Catanzariti and Arthur Rinderknech of then-No. 13 Texas A&M, 7-5, in UCLA's Round of 16 win. The pair went 8-3 against nationally-ranked opponents.