Peter Smith's squad used last season's wake up call to ring through a year's worth of consecutive wins (26 dual matches and counting). This weekend's tests against the nation's stiffest competition in Charlottesville, VA, are more of a checkpoint on the road to a potential fourth consecutive national championship.
USC will get started on Friday afternoon with a battle against No. 16 Tennessee. The winner will take on the UCLA/Duke victor, which could mean a rivalry match in round two for the Trojans and Bruins.
Host Virginia, which finished as the national runners-up last season, is the No. 2 seed.
Johnson (with Gael Monfils) lost a heartbreaker (6-7, 6-7) to Steve Darcis at the SAP Open.
