match to beat Wake Forest for the program's ninth
straight league championship. Until a pre-match
chat with Frank, Ritschard wasn't going to play
because of painful tendinitis in his wrist.
"His back was in pain and he was pretty down
— he wanted to win it so bad," Ritschard said.
"He said, 'You can do this Alex. We need you;
we believe in you. If there's any way you can do
it, do it.'"
Playing at No. 4 singles, Ritschard beat Jon Ho,
7-6 (5), 6-2, closing out the match with an ace
down the tee, after which his teammates mobbed
him on the court.
"It was a feeling that was great because it
showed me that I could push my limits further
than I thought I was capable of," Ritschard said.
"If you play for the team, someone more than
just yourself, it gives you strength. I think that's
what helped me win the match."
Added Ritschard: "It was an extremely happy
On the way to the national championship, the Cavaliers defeated the only two teams they had lost
to during the regular season, first topping Baylor 4-2 in the semifinals and then Oklahoma 4-1 in
the final to claim the NCAA title.
PHOTO BY MATT RILEY/COURTESY UVA
