Luben Pampoulov was never the card in UCLA’s back pocket.
He was an ace of spades that everyone knew would turn the
Bruins’ decent playing hand into a gem. But for the first
three months of the season, it was a hand the Bruins could not
play.
His insertion into the men’s tennis team’s lineup on
April 2 immediately transformed a roster that opened the season
with a mediocre 11-5 record. With Pampoulov, the team reeled off 11
straight victories before falling in the finals of the NCAA
Championship.
He finished the season 8-2 in singles and paired with Phillip
Gruendler to go 13-1 to capture the Pac-10 Championship in
doubles.
If there was one match that signified his impact, it came at the
end of the season against Illinois. The Fighting Illini had
defeated a Pampoulov-less Bruin squad 4-0 in February, but in the
semifinals of the NCAA Tournament, Pampoulov’s 6-0, 2-6, 6-3
win over Brian Stolt propelled the Bruins to a 4-2 victory.
With UCLA losing senior Tobias Clemens, Pampoulov is expected to
take over the top spot next year.
It shouldn’t be too tough a transition for a player who is
already one of the best cards in the deck.
Compiled by Andrew Finley, Bruin sports senior
staff.      Â