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We don't get a lot of chances to heap praise on our tennis programs, but this is one big moment we couldn't let pass without acknowledgement. Sophomore Roberto Cid defeated the #1 ranked player in the country, UCLA's Clay Thompson, 6-4, 6-3 in the singles bracket of the NCAA Tournament today.
Beating a #1 in anything is a major accomplishment, so a huge congratulations to Cid, and he'll face #68 Alen Salibasic of Drake University in the second round today at 10:30am in Athens, Georgia.
"I felt good on the court. We went through all the tactics, and I stuck to the plan and was able to win," said Cid, who is the only Bulls representative in the tournament. I knew I was going to have a tough draw with all the great players, and I had to bring my game. I'm very excited to do something special."
The native of the Dominican Republic came to the U.S. at the age of 13, and turned down schools such as Texas, UNC, FSU and Miami to play in Tampa. This piece from USF's Tom Zebold from February gives a bit more insight to the 20-year-old, who would seem to have a limitless ceiling in collegiate tennis.
Cid said his two years at USF has shown an incredible rise in the men's tennis program. "If you go back two years ago, how different the program was, and now to the top of the conference. The players have a different mindset and there's been major change... we still look forward to the next year to do better."
We can't remember any time USF has beaten a #1 ranked team/individual in anything with the exception for men's soccer over Akron in 2010, but that was technically a preseason game. If you can think of any let us know, but Cid has a chance to be one of the great individual athletes in USF history with two seasons left.
A huge, huge congratulations to Cid, and let's hope he can make a deep run in this tournament.