TULSA, Okla. — The University of New Mexico doubles team of Hayden Sabatka and Bart Van Leijsen have been amazingly consistent for head coach Bart Scott over the course of the season. Now if only the weather in Tulsa was like those two.
Sabatka and Van Leijsen, weather permitting, will open up play in the NCAA Doubles Draw on Thursday against East Tennessee State’s David Biosca and Rogerio Eiberio. Sabatka and Van Leijsen, who were named First Team All-Mountain West, went 24-11 during the 2015-16 season, and have won eight of their last 10. Their opponents Biosca and Euberio went 11-7 over the course of the season. The time of the match is undetermined because rain is in the forecast for Tulsa.
For the NCAA Doubles Draw, play starts for all 32 doubles teams tomorrow, and continues through five rounds of play culminating in the championship match on Monday, March 30. It’s not a far-fetched reality that Sabatka and Van Leijsen can make it to a Memorial Day match.
Back in the Fall season, the tandem got to the quarterfinals of the ITA All-American Championships, and then the made it to New York City for the semifinals of the USTA/ITA National Indoors, meaning they could be the first Lobo tandem to make it the quarterfinals of all three majors in collegiate tennis in a single season.
“Both Hayden and Bart have been great all season, and they have had successes against top-flight competition, having defeated a No. 1 seed in Georgia at the indoors,” said Scott, who also noted, “Both of these student-athletes are back for us next year as well.”
Having defeated a No. 1 seed previously might come in handy, as top-seeded Florida Gator duo Diego Hidalgo and Gordon Watson are the most likely Round of 16 opponents for Sabatka/Van Leijsen.
The men’s NCAA Tournament Doubles bracket is Here: http://i.turner.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/external/gametool/brackets/tennis-men_d1_doubles_2016.pdf, and the tournament is taking place at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with The University of Tulsa serving as the host institution.
Sabatka/Van Leijsen Open NCAA Doubles Thursday
