Championship Central | Men’s Combined Results (PDF)
 
CAYCE, S.C. –  In a four-hour match that started in the early afternoon, the top-seeded DePaul Blue Demons defeated No. 2 seed St. John’s 4-3 to win their first men’s title at the 2021 BIG EAST Tennis Championships Presented by JEEP. Senior Luuk Wassenaar, who battled it out on the No. 5 court to clinch the match, earned the Championship’s Most Outstanding accolade.
 
Facing quadruple match point with zero degree margin for error, MOP Wassenaar brought DePaul back from the brink of elimination with a comeback that will live on for the ages. Wassenaar eventually won 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 victory over St. John's Evan Felcher.
 
 
DePaul improved to 15-6 on the season and will represent the BIG EAST as the automatic qualifier at the 2021 NCAA Tennis Championships, which will be held at the U.S. Tennis Association National Campus in Orland, Fla., May 20-29. The NCAA selection show will stream live on ncaa.com at 6:30 p.m. ET on Monday, May 3.
 
DePaul won the key doubles point. Fran Tonejc and Tripp Tuff opened, winning their match at No. 3. After St. John's won at No. 2, Boris Spanjaard hit a number of huge shots in teaming with Christopher Casati to clinch the crucial doubles point.
 
No. 1 singles player Vito Tonejc won in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1, to give DePaul the 2-0 lead. SJU’s Giuseppe DeCamelis won in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2 to cut the lead to 2-1 DePaul. Spanjaard gave the Blue Demons back a two-point lead with back-to-back 7-5 victories at the No. 3 court as DPU went up 3-1.
 
From there, SJU tied it up as Louis-Nils Michel won 6-4, 6-4, at the No. 3 court and Ignacio Garcia won 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 at No. 2.
 
Wassenaar’s heroics marked the history books as the Blue Demons rushed the court at the Cacye Tennis and Fitness Center.
 
DePaul had been in the championship match three times prior (2009, 2014, 2018), only to finish runner-up.
 
The women completed their championship earlier in the day. Xavier won, 4-1 over DePaul. It was the Musketeers’ second title.
 
No. 1 DePaul 4, No. 2 St. John’s 3
Doubles

1. Boris Spanjaard/Christopher Casati (DPU) def. Charlie James/Ignacio Garcia (SJU) 7-5
2. Djuro Opacic/Evan Felcher (SJU) def. Luuk Wassenaar/Vito Tonejc (DPU) 6-4
3. Fran Tonjec/Tripp Tuff (DPU) def. Giuseppe DeCamelis/Louis-Nils Michel (SJU) 6-2

Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
 
Singles

1. V. Tonejc (DPU) def. Opacic (SJU) 6-0, 6-1
2. Garcia (SJU) def. Casati (DPU) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2
3. Spanjaard (DPU) def. James (SJU) 7-5, 7-5
4. Michel (SJU) def. F. Tonejc (DPU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Wassenaar (DPU) def. Felcher (SJU) 7-5, 2-6, 7-5
6. DeCamelis (SJU) def. Tuff (DPU) 6-3, 6-2

Order of Finish: 1, 6, 3, 4, 2, 5
 
Championship Most Outstanding Player:
Luuk Wassenaar, DePaul, Sr.
 
2021 BIG EAST Men's Tennis Championships Results
Friday, April 23
Men's Quarterfinal
1 p.m.       No. 1 DePaul 4, No. 8 Georgetown 0
                 No. 2 St. John's 4, No. 7 Xavier 1
5 p.m.       No. 3 Marquette 4, No. 6 Villanova 1
                 No. 4 Butler 4, No. 5 Creighton 1
 
Saturday, April 24 - Play suspended due to weather.
 
Sunday, April 25
Men's Semifinal
1 p.m.       No. 1 DePaul 5, No. 4 Butler 0
                 No. 2 St. John’s 4, No. 3 Marquette 2
 
Monday, April 26
Men’s Championship
1 p.m.       No. 1 DePaul 4, No. 2 St. John’s 3