Tar Heels Take On No. 10 USC Friday

Friday, May 18

Winston-Salem, N.C.

9:00 AM

North Carolina

Southern California (NCAA Round of 16)

Blaine Boyden and the Tar Heels play in Winston-Salem on Friday.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

May 16, 2018 | Men's Tennis

NCAA Tournament Central NCAA Bracket

By: UNC Athletic Communications

North Carolina continues play in the NCAA Men's Tennis Tournament Friday, taking on 10^th-ranked Southern California at 9 a.m. in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Tar Heels have reached the Round of 16 for the sixth year in a row and will battle the Trojans for a fifth-straight spot in the quarterfinals.

Last season, UNC advanced past the quarterfinals for the first time in program history and made it all the way to the championship match, finishing as NCAA runner-up.

After winning first and second-round matches last weekend in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels head into the Sweet 16 with a season record of 24-5. They're ranked No. 6 nationally and seeded No. 7 in the tournament field.

If Friday brings rainy weather, the match will be moved to Wake Forest's indoor tennis center. Regardless of whether it's played indoors or outdoors, it's still scheduled for 9 a.m.

Three Tar Heels are currently in the ITA national singles rankings. Sophomore Willian Blumberg, the 2018 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, is ranked No. 3. Benjamin Sigouin, the ACC Freshman of the Year, is ranked No. 32. Robert Kelly, the team's lone senior, is ranked No. 90.

Blumberg and Kelly are ranked No. 2 in doubles. They'll be part of the doubles draw following the conclusion of the NCAA Team Tournament, with those matches also to be hosted by Wake Forest. Blumberg and Sigioun are part of the singles draw.

Tar Heel fans are encouraged to help give UNC a home-state advantage in Winston-Salem. For ticket information for the men's and women's tournaments and to purchase online, click here. The Carolina women also are competing in the Round of 16 and will take on Stanford on Thursday at noon.