University of Georgia Athletics
Quinn Emerges From Brink To Win NCAA Title
May 27, 2023 | Men's Tennis, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Ethan Quinn's goose was pretty much cooked. But not fully.
"He found a way to get it done," Georgia coach Manuel Diaz said after watching a spectacular and improbable comeback.
Down a set and 5-4, and facing 40-love against Michigan's Ondrej Styler in the finals of the NCAA men's singles tournament on Saturday in Lake Nona, Fla., the Georgia redshirt freshman was in deep, deep trouble.
So he did what champions do: he fought off the four straight match points, forced a third set, and won the darn thing himself. In an epic final at the end of an historic first season with the Bulldogs, Quinn fought his way back from the brink to win 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-2.
Of Quinn's six wins in the tournament, four of them came in three sets. He ended the season with wins in 17 straight completed matches.
"It's surreal, honestly. It's a lot of hard work and staying tough. It's over, we're heading out of Florida and back to Athens," Quinn said in a phone interview from the Orlando airport, shortly after he and the Georgia contingent still at the NCAAs, including Quinn's doubles partner, Trent Bryde, had to scurry from the USTA National Center to the airport to catch their flight home.
"Just super proud of Ethan," associate head coach Jamie Hunt said in a text message from the plane. "He's worked extremely hard all year for this and it's very rewarding to see him accomplish this goal of his."
Quinn, the No. 2 seed, and Styler, seeded eighth, both let some opportunities get away in this one, and they both got it back together. Both had chances to fully crack, but neither did.
"The momentum swings were huge in this match," Diaz said. "Just showing composure in those moments made all the difference in the world."
Quinn got up two breaks of serve in the first set and was serving for the set at 5-2. And then he suddenly found himself on the losing end of a tiebreaker.
"He had some opportunities where he pressed and maybe got a little nervous in the first set, two breaks up," Diaz said. "He just rushed, felt a little pressure, saw the finish line, and stopped doing what he had been doing."
In the second set, it was Styler in command, serving for the match at 5-4 after breaking Quinn's serve. Styler quickly got to 40-love and it looked like the fantastic story of Quinn's freshman year — he didn't lose a match in the fall, won a national title at the ITA All-American Championship, helped lead the Bulldogs to an undefeated run through the SEC regular-season schedule — was going to have a disappointing ending.
Only that didn't happen.
Sometimes, being on the brink of a loss, even a loss on the biggest stage, can take all of the pressure off. And maybe put it on the player in front's shoulders.
"Ethan just kind of seemed to calm down a little bit and didn't press," Diaz said. "He gave himself an opportunity and he gave his opponent an opportunity to miss some balls, too."
On the first match point, Quinn was aggressive in the rally, eventually sending Styler out wide with a crosscourt forehand. Quinn came to net and won the point with a forehand volley to the open court. On the second match point, Quinn won it with more aggression, an inside-out forehand that Styler couldn't do anything with.
Now it was 40-30 Styler, who still has two more match points. At the same time, Quinn could see a way out of this jam.
"Honestly, it was just hanging tough," Quinn said. "I knew I'd been returning very well throughout the week and even in that match. I'd broken him a few times and I knew I was going to be a tough out."
On the third match point, Quinn got some help when his opponent missed a backhand wide. Now, it's 40-all, and the winner of the next point is either the NCAA champion or a Bulldog with a second chance.
"Even when I was down those points, hearing those words of encouragement from Trent and everyone that was here with me, that helped push me along and helped me to stay tough," Quinn said. "I was able to make some tough returns and put him in a tough position, which put a lot of pressure on him."
At 40-all, Quinn chose to return in the deuce court. Styler produced a big serve out wide, Quinn reached out for a return, and then the Wolverine missed long. Game to Quinn, game on for the match.
"I was digging out returns throughout the entire match," Quinn said. "'If you can touch it, you can make it' is something we've been saying throughout the year."
There was still much work to be done for Quinn. Styler could have caved at that point, having seen four chances at the title vanquished, but he didn't. Quinn won the second set in a tiebreaker, followed by the first two games of the third set, only to see Styler win the next to and draw even, 2-2.
"I knew he was going to continue making his push," Quinn said.
Quinn pushed harder, winning the final four games to earn the national championship. On match point, he won it with a forehand volley winner just like the one that saved the first match point. He raised his arms above his head for a moment and then leaned over at the waist, looking to Georgia's coaches on his left and smiling. Moments later, Hunt was giving him a big bear hug.
"Very special," Hunt said of that hug. "He means the world to me. We've spent a lot of time together this year. Couldn't be happier for him or prouder of him."
Quinn is the third Georgia player to win an NCAA singles title, joining back-to-back champions Mikael Pernfors (1984-85) and Matias Boeker (2001-02). So where does a player pack his national championship trophy for the flight home?
"It's currently in my backpack," he said, the smile evident in his voice. "It's covered by my SEC championship jacket."
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
Players Mentioned
