USC’s Mamiit Wins the Title

ATHENS, GA. — USC’s Cecil Mamiit may have played his way right out of college.

Mamiit became the first freshman since Stanford’s John McEnroe to win an NCAA singles title Sunday, defeating Fresno State sophomore Fredrik Bergh, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, at the University of Georgia’s Dan Magill Tennis Complex.

Mamiit, fourth-seeded in the tournament, capped a brilliant five-day run through the lower draw, winning four straight-set matches and another pair in three sets. He was the only seeded player to advance to the quarterfinals.

Mamiit is the Trojans’ 13th men’s singles champion but the first since Robert Van’t Hof, the 1980 winner.

In the doubles final, Justin Gimelstob and Srdjan Muskatirovic of UCLA defeated Ashley Fisher and Jason Weir-Smith of Texas Christian, 6-7 (7-3), 6-4, 6-4. After the match, Gimelstob, a sophomore, said he will turn pro.