University of North Carolina Athletics
Phillips Wins Opening Round Doubles Match at U.S. Open
August 31, 2006 | Men's Tennis
Aug. 31, 2006
Flushing Meadow, N.Y. - Carolina alumnus Tripp Phillips advanced to the 2nd round of the U.S. Open Thursday afternoon with a three set win at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Phillips and doubles partner Ashley Fisher defeated Britain's Andy Murray and James Auckland 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Fisher and Phillips will face eighth seeded Simon Asplin (Sweden) and Todd Perry (Australia) in the 2nd round on Friday or Saturday. After splitting the first two sets, Fisher/Phillips broke to go up 3-1 in the third. With the match back on serve at 4-4, Murray and Aukland had several game points to take a 5-4 lead. Gamely, Phillips and Fisher fought back to achieve the decisive break. Ashley Fisher held serve to clinch the match.
"They really played well," Phillips remarked. "We just played the big points a little bit better, but it was a match that could've gone either way." Several Carolina Tennis alumni joined Head Coach Sam Paul at the match to support Phillips. All-American Brint Morrow ('95) and former team captain Jon Balch ('97) were among the spectators packing the area surrounding court 16 for the match.
Players Mentioned
