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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Scholtz/Vorster Win Aptos Challenger
8/15/2016 | Men's Tennis
OXFORD, Miss. -- Throughout the summer, OleMissSports.com will check in with Rebel alums on the pro circuit.
In this week's #RebsOnTour update Nik Scholtz and Tucker Vorster won the doubles title at the $100,000 Aptos Challenger Sunday, marking their first challenger title together and seventh professional title overall.
The duo defeated 2016 NCAA Singles Champion Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA) and former Cal All-American Ben McLachlan in a tight three-set affair. Scholtz and Vorster, who were making their second consecutive finals appearance in a challenger event, held a 4-2 lead in the first set tiebreaker, before McDonald and McLachlan rallied to win it 7-6(5) to take the early momentum.
Scholtz and Vorster won the second set 6-3 to force a winner take all third set 10-point tiebreaker. After racing out to a huge lead in the breaker and having numerous match points at 9-2, Scholtz and Vorster had to hang on, as McDonald and McLachlan chipped away until they were within 9-8. On the very next point, Scholtz finished it off for the win.
"Winning a title, even when you're 10 years old, is always special and just good for the mind," Scholtz said. "A lot of work and time and effort goes into this, so to get something back for it means a lot."
"It's almost like the harder we tried to finish it, the better our opponents played. They really took it to us in each point," Vorster said. "It's not like we lost the points, they won them. And then Nik came through really solid in the end to finish it off."
Scholtz and Vorster had plenty of support from their former coaches and teammates at Ole Miss, who watched the live stream of the final.
"We are excited to see Tucker and Nik doing so well as a team and I am sure this is just the beginning of something bigger," head coach Toby Hansson said.
Rebels in current ATP Rankings…
Nik Scholtz â€" The four-time All-American is ranked 328 in singles and up to a career-high 308 in doubles. He jumped 181 spots in doubles after reaching the final in Lexington, Kentucky and winning in Aptos this past week.
Tucker Vorster â€" Vorster is ranked 400 in singles and cracked the top 300 in doubles at a career-high 258. He moved up 109 in doubles with consecutive finals appearances and the title in Aptos.
Jonas Lutjen â€" The two-time All-American is ranked 583 this week. He reached the quarterfinals in singles at the futures in Wetzler, Germany last week.
For more information on Ole Miss Men's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter @OleMissMTennis, on Facebook at OleMissMTennis and on Instagram at OleMissMTennis, follow Coach Hansson on Twitter at @TennisToby.
Players Mentioned
