ORLANDO, FL – Johns Hopkins juniors
James and
Thomas Yu have moved into the semifinals at the NCAA Championships at the USTA National Campus.
Thomas Yu opened the day with a straight-sets win over top seeded James Hopper (Case Western) in the quarterfinals. With the first set tied at five, Yu won the final two games to grab a 7-5 win. He did the same in the second set. Hopper held serve to tie the set at four, but Yu responded by winning the back-to-back games to take the set, 6-4, and the match. In both sets, Yu broke Hopper's serve to win the set.
The Yu brothers then beat third-seeded Chase Cohen and Matthew Kandel (Williams) in the quarterfinals. The duo from Williams took the first set 7-5. The Blue Jays responded with a 6-2 win in the second set to force a deciding set. Cohen and Kandel took a 3-2 lead in the set, but the Yus would win four of the final five games to win the set, 6-4, and the match.
This is the second straight year and third time overall that a Blue Jay has made the semifinals of the NCAA Singles Championship. This is the first time since 2012, and just the second time ever, that a JHU doubles' team has advanced to the semifinals.
Thomas Yu broke his own record for combined wins in a season (52) with the doubles' win. He also tied the single-season wins record for doubles (28), set by Jacob Barnaby in 2009. He is now tied for ninth in JHU history with 59 career doubles' wins.
James Yu moved into a tie for 19
th with 49 career doubles' wins. His 26 doubles' wins this season are tied for third in program history.
James Yu is also tied for 21
st with 80 combined career wins.