Slovenian wins US college tennis singles title
Slovenian Filip Jeff Planinšek, a student at the University of Alabama, won the NCAA men's singles national title in Oklahoma on 25 May, defeating Michael Zheng of Columbia University and claiming the first ever title for Alabama.
The NCAA college national championships are a key competition. Two years ago, the event was won by the current number 15 on the ATP ranking, Ben Shelton. In 1978, the title went to the legendary John McEnroe.
Planinšek is the second Slovenian to claim the title, which was won by Blaž Rola in 2013.
"I still can't find the words for what I've experienced this week. I'm overjoyed," Planinšek was quoted as saying by the Slovenian Tennis Association on 27 May.
Thanking his coaches in Alabama and at home, as well as his family, Planinšek said it was very special to win the first NCAA title for his university. "It will go down in history."