By IANS,
New Delhi : Somdev Devvarman, who made his debut for India in Davis Cup this year, became the first player to reach National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) singles quarterfinals in three consecutive years since Jose Luis Noriega of San Diego in 1990-92.
Top-seeded Devvarman, who has just graduated from Virginia University, entered the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Mississippi’s Erling Tevit Friday.
The win was Devvarman’s 15th career singles championship victory and he is now just three wins away from his second consecutive national championship.
The-23-year-old from north-eastern state of Assam Thursday set the record of winning 14 matches when he beat Clancy Shields of Boise State 6-4,7-5 in the second round.
Matias Boeker of Georgia held the previous record with 13 victories in 2001-02.
Devvarman needed just 80 minutes to top Tveit, and improved to 41-1 in singles on the season. He has won 33 straight matches, and will face Denes Lukacs of Baylor Saturday in the quarterfinals.
However, Devvarman experienced defeat in doubles Friday as he and Treat Huey fell to Conor Pollock and Austin Krajicek of Texas A&M, 6-3, 6-4. The two Virginia seniors were ranked as the top seed in the tournament.