STANFORD, Calif. – Yuta Kikuchi closed a successful ITA Northwest Regional Championships for Cal men's tennis with a run to Tuesday's singles final, with the top-seeded and 75th-ranked Golden Bear falling to ninth-seeded Damon Kesaris of Saint Mary's, 7-6(2), 6-0. Cal still collected some hardware at the Taube Family Tennis Center, as the Bears earned the trophy for posting the most wins at the regional, and Kikuchi, as one of the singles finalists, qualified for the upcoming Oracle ITA National Fall Championships.
 
Kikuchi's final came one day after teammates Ben Draper and Bjorn Hoffmann finished as the doubles runners-up at the regional.
 
"Across the board, our team had a great weekend at Stanford," said Peter Wright, Cal's Director of Men's Tennis. "We reached the singles and doubles finals, and we won the trophy for the best team performance for the ninth time in the last 11 years. The strong results speak to the depth and maturity of our team.
 
"Our results in the fall give us an idea of what we need to do to prepare for the spring season, and I was very encouraged by what I saw. We had some new combinations in doubles, and we continue to excel in that area. We still have plenty to work on, and I'm confident this group will take every opportunity to learn from this tournament and adapt to the challenges that lie ahead."
 
The Oracle ITA National Fall Championships – scheduled for Nov. 6-10 in Newport Beach, California – are next up for Kikuchi and any teammates who earn at-large berths. Another set of Bears will play in Harvard's Chowder Fest from Nov. 8-10 in Boston.
 
ITA Northwest Regional Championships
Oct. 29, 2019, in Stanford, Calif.
Taube Family Tennis Center
 
Main Draw Singles – Final
[9] Damon Kesaris (Saint Mary's) def. [1] No. 75 Yuta Kikuchi (Cal), 7-6(2), 6-0