Lubbe Rallies for ITA Win, Then Falls to No. 8 Seed Tyagi
Jovan Lubbe survived a tense three-set opener at Tulsa before No. 8 seed Kriish Tyagi ended his run. The team heads to Westlake Villa next.
Key points
- Jovan Lubbe defeated Luca Lemaitre Vilchis 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to advance at the ITA All-Americans.
- No. 8 seed Kriish Tyagi of Texas A&M eliminated Lubbe with a 6-3, 7-5 victory.
- Cal Poly’s team travels to Westlake Villa for the Sherwood Collegiate Cup from September 25-27.
The red clay at Tulsa bites hard under the midday sun. Jovan Lubbe stood in the service box, sweat stinging his eyes, the scoreline 4-6 against him. The air was thick with the scent of wet dirt and focused silence. He did not retreat. With a deep breath that steadied his hands, he stepped into the next point, ready to claw back a set that had slipped away in the opening frames.
The comeback was physical and deliberate. Lubbe, a sophomore from Hazyview, South Africa, took the second set 6-4 to force a decider. The third frame was a grinding affair, every ball fought over with intensity. He closed it out 6-3, completing a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 reversal against Santa Clara's Luca Lemaitre Vilchis. The victory secured his place in the Round of 128 of the ITA All-American Championships, a testament to his refusal to yield.
Tyagi ends the Mustang run
The following round brought a steeper climb. Kriish Tyagi, the No. 8 seed from Texas A&M, waited with precision. Lubbe pushed back fiercely, dragging the match into a tight second set. However, Tyagi’s experience and power proved decisive. The Texas A&M player held his nerve to take the match 6-3, 7-5, ending Lubbe’s tournament campaign. The defeat was a hard stop, a reminder of the gap between a gritty qualifier and a top-seeded contender.
Mustangs head to Westlake Villa
The focus now shifts to the Sherwood Collegiate Cup. From September 25 to 27, Head Coach Nick Carless will lead a squad of four to Westlake Villa, California. The lineup includes senior Raz Haviv and sophomore Leo Matthysen, both returning top-6 players. They are joined by Ernst Gouws, a transfer from Liberty, and Evan Simon, a five-star ranked freshman. The format is a hidden dual, requiring one singles and one doubles match daily against different opponents.
Building on last season’s grit
This event holds special significance for the program. Last year, the team posted a 14-8 singles record at the same tournament. They defeated multiple opponents from top-40 ranked programs. The core group featured Lubbe, Haviv, and several players who have since moved on. The current squad aims to replicate that level of competition. As reported by gopoly.com, the goal is clear: to maintain the high standard of play established in previous seasons and compete at the highest collegiate level.
