Guillermo Gomez, the only Tech men’s player selected for the NCAA tournament, lost in the first round on Wednesday capping a successful freshman year. Gomez, named the 2008 ACC Rookie of the year and ITA Mid-East Region Rookie of the Year, lost to Bassam Beidas of Pepperdine, 3-6, 6-7 (5-7). Gomez became the first Tech men’s player to win the conference rookie of the year award since Roger Anderson in 2000. Gomez also became the first Tech player to win the ITA regional award since Paul Stevens was named it in 1991. Gomez is the first Tech rookie to participate in the NCAA tournament since women’s coach Bryan Shelton represented the Jackets in 1985. Gomez was also named to the All-ACC men’s tennis team for the season, becoming the only Tech player to do so.
The men’s team season ended with a close loss to No. 8 seed North Carolina State in the ACC Tournament at Sanlando Park, Florida. The team won the first two doubles matches to give the Jackets the doubles point. Senior David North and freshman Eliot Potvin were the first to step off the court after an 8-2 victory followed by an 8-3 victory by Senior Scott Blackmon and freshman Ryan Smith. In singles, freshman Miguel Muguruza brought Tech’s score to 2-0 over the Wolfpack with a 7-5, 6-3 victory on the court six. N.C. State earned its first point of the day soon after as Christian Welte defeated Smith in a 6-2, 6-2 game. The Wolfpack won the next two matches on court three and five to give them the lead with a team score 3-2. North tied the score to 3-3 after defeating Nick Cavaday 7-6 (9-7), 6-3.
Gomez won the first set in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-5) over James McGee in No. 1 singles, but dropped the second set to 5-7. In the third set, both players were able to hold serve until McGee broke Gomez’s serve to go up 5-4. McGee was able to hold serve in the final game and won 6-4. The Wolfpack took the match, 4-3, over Tech to advance to the second round before losing to top-seeded Virginia in the second round of the tournament.