LEXINGTON, Ky. — LSU men’s tennis player Ken Skupski put away Georgia’s Matic Omerzal in straight sets Monday morning at the Hillary J. Boone Tennis Complex to claim his second straight SEC Coaches Indoor crown.
Skupski, the first Tiger player to win the SEC Indoor, became the first player in the history of the tournament to win back-to-back titles.
“Ken played at a high level throughout this tournament and again today,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said. “He picked up some really strong wins this weekend and established himself as one of the best one seeds in the country going into the dual match season.”
Ranked No. 66 nationally, Skupski beat the No. 96 ranked Omerzal, 6-4, 6-4. It was the LSU junior’s third top-100 win in as many days. In route to the finals, Skupski also dispatched No. 2 ranked John Isner of Georgia and Ole Miss’s 43rd ranked Juan Pablo Di Cesare.
Skupski, whose grandfather died in November, had dedicated the tournament to him.
“He was a really inspirational person as far as my tennis is concerned,” said Skupski. “I still haven’t lost since he past away and I proud of that.”
Despite his success last year, the LSU junior was far from overconfident about his chances to win the tournament again this year.
“I didn’t dream of coming in here and winning again,” Skupski said. “Last year it was great to win once, but to win it twice was something really special.”
The Tiger men’s tennis team will have its home opener at W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium Jan. 29, against Southern Miss at 1 p.m. and Centenary at 5 p.m.
SEC Coaches Indoor Championship
Monday, January 23, 2006
Singles Final
Ken Skupski (LSU) def. Matic Omerzal (UGA) 6-4,6-4