CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Carleton College men's tennis trophy case got a lot more crowded on Sunday. After waiting decades for the first national title in program history, the Knights only had to sit through another six hours before adding a second NCAA Championships title. Leo Vithoontien (Sr./Bangkok, Thailand/Bangkok Patana School) began the day with a 6-4, 5-6, 6-3 triumph in the final of the singles bracket, then he was joined by Xander Zuczek (Sr./Westerly, R.I./St. Bernard) for straight-set victories in the semifinals and finals of the doubles bracket.
 
It made for a nine-hour day at the Champions Tennis Club, but the wait was worth it.
 
Vithoontien became the first Carleton College tennis player—men's or women's—to claim a NCAA title when he defeated Boris Sorkin of Tufts University in the finals. Vithoontien was joined by Zuczek in being the first doubles national champions in school history.
 
This was the 12th time in NCAA Division III Men's Tennis history that a player won the national title in both the singles and doubles. (see chart below)
 
"I was a bit nervous coaching the guys today," said Carleton head coach Stephan Zweifel, "especially since my only pearls of wisdom all season were 'Did you wash your hands?'"
 
In the final of the singles bracket, Vithoontien trailed 4-3 in the opening set but won the next three games to take the set. Sorkin bounced back and captured the first three games of the second set en route to leveling the match at a set apiece.
 
Sorkin won the opening game of the third and deciding set, but Vithoontien secured the next three games and later extended his lead to 5-2.
 
Sorkin won a game to keep the match alive at 5-3 and led the next game 40-15 before Vithoontien stormed all the way back to clinch the victory.
 
"I managed to find a way to shift a gear back up and find some energy, whatever was left of me in that third set to really get my feet moving," said Vithoontien.
 
Vithoontien was seeded No. 4 in the 32-player field, but his path to the national title was not an easy one. He went the full three sets in his opening match of the tournament. He later defeated seeded opponents in each the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.
 
"It was amazing we were able to compete this year, let alone win the national championship," said Zuczek. "Neither me nor Leo thought the doubles title was possible. Luckily the kid had enough gas in the tank after his national singles title to help bring home the doubles title as well."
 
After a break of a little over an hour, the doubles semifinal match got underway with Zuczek and Vithoontien taking down Will Leach and Luke Lemaitre of George Fox University 6-3, 6-4.
 
The opening set was tied 3-3 before the Knights won the last three games. In the second set, the Carleton duo held a 4-3 advantage and fought off five break points to go up 5-3. The George Fox tandem held serve to make it 5-4. With Vithoontien serving, Zuczek's smash at the net concluded a long rally and clinched the victory.
 
That result advanced the Carleton classmates into the finals where they dispatched of Jeffrey Chen and Adam Tzeng from Brandeis University 6-3, 6-2.
 
Knotted 2-2 in the opening set, Carleton won the next three games. After Brandeis held serve to make it 5-3, Zuczek smashed home a lob to emphatically claim the first set.
 
Thanks to an early break, Carleton grabbed a 3-2 edge in the second set. The Knights warded off two break points for Brandeis and extended the lead to 4-2. Vithoontien's winner down the line capped another break of the Brandeis tandem, inching Carleton closer to the title. Zuzcek capped the tournament with a strong serve that was returned too long.
 
"The singles title meant a lot to me because I lost in the final two years ago," said Vithoontien, "but for doubles it meant a lot too, because of all the hard work Xander and I put in last year and this year. It's also nice having both of us leave Chattanooga with our own pieces of hardware."
 
Zuczek and Vithoontien did not drop a set during the doubles tournament. All told, Vithoontien won nine matches (five singles, four doubles) in three days.
 
NCAA Division III champions in both singles and doubles (same year)
1978   --   Chris Bussert, Kalamazoo
1982   --   Shaun Miller, Gust. Adolphus
1989   --   John Morris, Wash. & Lee
1993   --   Ryan McKee, Claremont-M-S
1999   --   Thomas Oechel, UC Santa Cruz
2001   --   Derek Fitzpatrick, UC Santa Cruz
2003   --   Eric Butorac, Gust. Adolphus
2005   --   Matt Seeberger, UC Santa Cruz
2007   --   Matt Seeberger, UC Santa Cruz
2015   --   Warren Wood, Claremont-M-S
2017   --   Lubomir Cuba, Middlebury
2021   --   Leo Vithoontien, Carleton
 
Singles Bracket results
Round of 32
Leo Vithoontien (Carleton) def. Kukutla Motlojoa (Southern Virginia University) 6-1, 3-6, 6-0.
Round of 16
Leo Vithoontien (Carleton) def. Issac Gorelick (Tufts University) 6-0, 6-3
Quarterfinals
Leo Vithoontien (Carleton) def. Hayden Cassone (Emory University) 6-4, 6-0
Semifinals
Leo Vithoontien (Carleton) def. Arturo Kam (Williams College) 6-1, 6-4
Finals
Leo Vithoontien (Carleton) def. Boris Sorkin (Tufts University) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
 
Doubles Bracket results
Round of 16 – May 28
Leo Vithoontien/Xander Zuczek (Carleton) def. Boris Sorkin/Josh Belandres (Tufts University) 6-3, 6-4
Quarterfinals – May 29
Leo Vithoontien/Xander Zuczek (Carleton) def. Hayden Cassone/Antonio Mora (Emory University) 7-5, 6-2
Semifinals – May 30
Leo Vithoontien/Xander Zuczek (Carleton) def. Will Leach/Luke Lemaitre (George Fox University) 6-3, 6-4
Finals – May 30
Leo Vithoontien/Xander Zuczek (CAR) vs. Jeffrey Chen/Adam Tzeng (Brandeis) 6-3, 6-2
 
All-Americans in Carleton Men's Tennis History
1984   --   Dave Treichel (doubles)
1984   --   John Flygare (doubles)
1985   --   Dave Treichel (singles)
1985   --   Dave Treichel (doubles)
1985   --   John Flygare (doubles)
1986   --   Dave Treichel (singles)
1987   --   Tom James (singles)
1988   --   Tom James (singles)
1989   --   Tom James (singles)
2018   --   Leo Vithoontien (singles)
2019   --   Leo Vithoontien (singles)
2020   --   Leo Vithoontien (singles)
2021   --   Leo Vithoontien (singles — National Champion)
2021   --   Leo Vithoontien (doubles — National Champion)
2021   --   Xander Zuczek (doubles — National Champion)