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Daniel Cukierman Wins Oracle ITA Masters Singles Crown
September 29, 2019 | Men's Tennis, Features
Junior is the third straight Trojan to take the title at the event.
MALIBU, CALIF. — USC junior Daniel Cukierman extended the Trojan domination of the Oracle ITA Masters singles draw to a third straight year, becoming the third consecutive Trojan to win it all at the event at the aMalibu Racquet Club. In today's title match, No. 2 seeded Cukierman was up against top-seeded Keegan Smith of UCLA. The Bruin pounced first in taking the first set, but Cukierman was undeterred. Instead, the Trojan dug in and stormed back, winning it 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to claim the singles trophy for his own.
Broken twice in the first set and once in the second, Cukierman shrugged off the setbacks and turned a 1-2 deficit into a 5-2 lead in the second as he tore off four straight games, then held serve to force a third. The Trojan and Bruin would trade breaks early in the third, but Cukierman made the late power move with a clutch break of Smith to edge ahead 4-3. Cukierman wouldn't let Smith off the hook down the stretch, as the Trojan stayed the course and closed out the win from the service line to notch the 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback victory.
Cukierman's 2019 singles title follows Laurens Verboven's 2018 crown and Brandon Holt's 2017 title won out at the Oracle ITA Masters.
Cukierman also paired up with UCLA's Jada Hart for mixed doubles action out in Malibu. The Trojan-Bruin pair drummed up two decisive wins on day one to move into the quarterfinals. There, Cukierman and Hart would be edged out in a tiebreaker to a Baylor-Virginia pairing, falling 7-6 (2) two wrap their run in the mixed doubles draw. Both Cukierman and Hart would continue to power through their respective singles brackets, as Hart reached the women's final.
2019 ORACLE ITA MASTERS (Malibu, Calif.)
SINGLES
Round of 32 - Sept. 26
[2] #8 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. Guido Argentini (Bryant) - 6-0, 6-0
Round of 16 - Sept. 27
[2] #8 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. Jannik Opitz (W.MICH) - 6-1, 6-3
Quarterfinals - Sept. 27
[2] #8 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. #29 Gabriel Decamps (UCF) - 6-1, 6-4
Semifinals - Sept. 28
[2] #8 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. [4] #9 Jack Lin (COL) - 6-3, 6-2
Championship - Sept. 29
[2] #8 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. [1] #20 Keegan Smith (UCLA) - 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
MIXED DOUBLES
Round of 32 - Sept. 26
[2] Daniel Cukierman (USC)/Jada Hart (UCLA) def. Benaim (MONMOUTH)/Nowak (FAIRFIELD) - 6-1
Round of 16 - Sept. 26
[2] Cukierman (USC)/Hart (UCLA) def. Stuart (MERCER)/Kozarov (FURMAN) - 6-2
Quarterfinals - Sept. 27
[7] Lah (BAY)/Subhash (UVA) def. [2] Cukierman (USC)/Hart (UCLA) - 7-6 (2)
Broken twice in the first set and once in the second, Cukierman shrugged off the setbacks and turned a 1-2 deficit into a 5-2 lead in the second as he tore off four straight games, then held serve to force a third. The Trojan and Bruin would trade breaks early in the third, but Cukierman made the late power move with a clutch break of Smith to edge ahead 4-3. Cukierman wouldn't let Smith off the hook down the stretch, as the Trojan stayed the course and closed out the win from the service line to notch the 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback victory.
Cukierman's 2019 singles title follows Laurens Verboven's 2018 crown and Brandon Holt's 2017 title won out at the Oracle ITA Masters.
That's THREE! Daniel Cukierman becomes the third straight Trojan to win the singles crown at the Oracle ITA Masters in Malibu!#FightOn ✌️ pic.twitter.com/CjW3BKMa8I
— USC Men's Tennis (@USCMensTennis) September 29, 2019
Cukierman also paired up with UCLA's Jada Hart for mixed doubles action out in Malibu. The Trojan-Bruin pair drummed up two decisive wins on day one to move into the quarterfinals. There, Cukierman and Hart would be edged out in a tiebreaker to a Baylor-Virginia pairing, falling 7-6 (2) two wrap their run in the mixed doubles draw. Both Cukierman and Hart would continue to power through their respective singles brackets, as Hart reached the women's final.
2019 ORACLE ITA MASTERS (Malibu, Calif.)
SINGLES
Round of 32 - Sept. 26
[2] #8 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. Guido Argentini (Bryant) - 6-0, 6-0
Round of 16 - Sept. 27
[2] #8 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. Jannik Opitz (W.MICH) - 6-1, 6-3
Quarterfinals - Sept. 27
[2] #8 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. #29 Gabriel Decamps (UCF) - 6-1, 6-4
Semifinals - Sept. 28
[2] #8 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. [4] #9 Jack Lin (COL) - 6-3, 6-2
Championship - Sept. 29
[2] #8 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. [1] #20 Keegan Smith (UCLA) - 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
MIXED DOUBLES
Round of 32 - Sept. 26
[2] Daniel Cukierman (USC)/Jada Hart (UCLA) def. Benaim (MONMOUTH)/Nowak (FAIRFIELD) - 6-1
Round of 16 - Sept. 26
[2] Cukierman (USC)/Hart (UCLA) def. Stuart (MERCER)/Kozarov (FURMAN) - 6-2
Quarterfinals - Sept. 27
[7] Lah (BAY)/Subhash (UVA) def. [2] Cukierman (USC)/Hart (UCLA) - 7-6 (2)
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