CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Senior Axel Nefve wrapped up a stellar career as a member of the University of Notre Dame’s men’s tennis program as he fell to the top player in the country today in the second round of the NCAA individual singles tournament.
Coming off a win in the opening round against the top player from Penn yesterday, Nefve would have the tough task playing against Ben Shelton of Florida. It took a set to get going but after Nefve dropped the opening set 6-0, he would respond right away early in the second.
After each player held to start the second set, Nefve broke the lefty Gator to take a 2-1 lead. Nefve would consolidate that service break by holding at love to start a stretch where he would win 8 consecutive points on his own serve in route to a 4-2 lead. However, the top player in the country would break back two games later to even the set. Both players would hold out to force a second set tiebreak. In the tiebreak, with the wind picking up, the Irish captain would find himself down quickly and then would succumb to his opponent by a final 6-0, 7-6(1) score.
Nefve leaves Notre Dame with 49 dual match singles wins for the Irish, almost exclusively in the top half of the lineup and most at the top two positions. He has 39 dual match doubles wins and has been a nationally ranked singles and doubles player throughout his career.
During the 2021 spring season, Nefve won 14 straight dual matches spanning from the 2nd match of the ACC season through the 2nd round of the NCAA team tournament.
He was a member of three NCAA qualifying teams (no team tournament in 2020) and was a three-time NCAA qualifier as an individual. In 2021, he advanced to the second round of both the NCAA Singles and Doubles championships in addition to his second round singles appearance this week. Nefve was named First Team All Atlantic Coast Conference in 2021. Postseason conference awards for this year are forthcoming.
He graduates from the Mendoza College of Business and will pursue a masters degree before embarking on a professional tennis career. Thank you and good luck, Axel!