Filip Planinsek from Alabama clinches victory in NCAA men’s tennis singles national championship

Alabama junior Filip Planinsek made history for Crimson Tide men’s tennis by winning the NCAA Singles Championship national title. Planinsek, hailing from Hoce, Slovenia, staged a remarkable comeback against Columbia’s Michael Zheng, clinching victory in sets two and three with scores of 6-3 and 6-2 after dropping the first set 6-7 (4).

This triumph marks the first NCAA singles tournament national championship title in Alabama men’s tennis program history. Planinsek’s journey to the title was nothing short of impressive, as he defeated several top-ranked opponents along the way.

In the semifinals, Planinsek overcame No. 9 Ozan Baris by winning the tiebreaker set with five consecutive points. His stellar performance continued in the championship match, where he secured victory over Zheng with four aces.

Alabama’s media relations department highlighted that this was only the second time the men’s tennis program had a player compete for a national title at the individual level, with the first instance occurring in 2019.

Following his historic win, Director of Athletics Greg Byrne and softball coach Patrick Murphy took to social media to congratulate Planinsek on his remarkable achievement. The victory not only solidifies Planinsek’s place in Alabama tennis history but also showcases his talent and determination on the national stage.

Planinsek’s dominant performance throughout the tournament, where he only dropped three sets in total, cements his status as a rising star in collegiate tennis. His journey to the championship title serves as an inspiration to aspiring tennis players and a source of pride for the Crimson Tide community.