Smith's Standout Week Rewarded by Pac-12

Pac-12 Release

SAN FRANCISCO – Senior Keegan Smith of the UCLA men's tennis team was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 22-28, the conference announced Tuesday.

Smith earned wins over a pair of top-30 singles opponents – including top-ranked Daniel Cukierman of USC – and had a hand in clinching the doubles point versus UC Santa Barbara.

Smith knocked off No. 1 Cukierman in the Bruins' 4-3 loss to their crosstown rivals Feb. 28. The victory avenged a January setback to Cukierman and improved Smith's record to 4-1.

Smith is also now 3-1 against nationally-ranked opponents, a mark that was bettered by a 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 27 Joseph Guillin of UCSB earlier in the week. Smith and Patrick Zahraj also locked up the doubles point in that match, defeating Kai Brady and Stefano Tsorotiotis by a 6-2 score. The Bruins beat the Gauchos, 6-1.

Smith's lone individual loss of the week came Sunday in doubles play, as he and Zahraj were edged out by the nation's top-ranked doubles pair of Cukierman and Riley Smith, 6-4.

Each of Smith's matches was played on the top court.

The Pac-12 Player of the Week award represents the fourth of Smith's career and 45th in UCLA men's tennis program history.

2021 PAC-12 MEN'S TENNIS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK