Pepperdine University junior Edward Winter has moved into the second round of the NCAA Singles Championship after defeating Harvard senior Melchior Delloye in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, on Tuesday in Orlando.
This marks Winter’s second appearance at the NCAA tournament. During the match, Delloye managed to hold serve only twice. Winter overcame early nerves and responded effectively when Delloye increased his level of play in the second set, ultimately securing the win with a strong performance late in the match.
“Ed managed the nerves well,” said Pepperdine Director of Tennis Adam Schaechterle. “His level of play improved as the match wore on. We are excited for a battle tomorrow between two of the top ten players in college tennis.”
The first set saw Delloye break serve first, but Winter quickly recovered and took control, breaking back and then winning four consecutive games to close out the set. In the second set, both players struggled to hold serve early on. However, Winter gained momentum after breaking Delloye for a 4-2 lead and maintained pressure at the net to extend his advantage.
A notable moment occurred during Delloye’s final service game when both players used challenges with mixed results under a new electric line calling system. After a medical timeout by Delloye and further use of challenges—including an unsuccessful one that resulted in a point penalty—Winter secured victory.
Winter is scheduled to face sixth-seeded Kenta Miyoshi of Illinois in the next round on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. If successful, Winter would achieve All-American status and continue Pepperdine’s streak of having a player reach the round of 16 for two consecutive years. Further information can be found on Pepperdine’s men’s tennis schedule page at pepperdinewaves.com.
Pepperdine men’s tennis has a history marked by achievements including an NCAA Championship in 2006, its first NAIA title in 1952, multiple national singles and doubles champions, 44 West Coast Conference titles, participation in 40 NCAA Tournaments and six NCAA Regionals, and producing 53 All-Americans.
For updates on Pepperdine men’s tennis news, follow @PepperdineMTEN on social media.
