May 24, 2006

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Rice senior Robert Searle was dominant in a 6-2, 3-0 (ret.) victory against Oklahoma State's Daniel Byrnes in the opening round of the 2006 NCAA singles championships on Wednesday in Palo Alto, Calif.

After dropping the first to games to begin the match, Searle, ranked 28th, took over the match by winning six-straight games to take the first set. He kept control in the second before Byrnes, one of the 9-16 seeds and ranked 13th, retired with an injury. The win sends Searle to the second round of the tournament where he will face 47th-ranked Callum Beale of Texas on Thursday. Beale defeated Andreas Siljestrom of Middle Tennessee State 6-2, 6-4 in the first round to advance.

Thursday also marks the start of doubles competition. Searle and partner Tony Haerle will face Georgia's John Isner and Antonio Ruiz. Haerle and Searle are ranked 18th nationally with a 16-6 overall record, including 13-5 in duals. The pair were named the outstanding doubles team of the C-USA tournament and advanced to the finals of the 117th Pacific Coast Doubles Championships.

Isner and Ruiz rank ninth overall with a 21-5 mark (17-4 in duals). The pair helped the Bulldogs to the title match of the NCAA team championships on Tuesday.

Times for both matches will be announced later tonight. The 2006 NCAA Men's and Women's Singles and Doubles Championships continue through Monday.