LSU’s Michael Venus captured one of college tennis’s grand slam championships this weekend, winning the D’Novo All-American Tennis Championships in Tulsa, Okla.The win marked the first time an LSU player won the championships, which is considered one of college tennis’s grand slam events.Venus entered the week ranked No. 20 in the country. Venus defeated the nation’s top player Sunday, Oklahoma State’s Oleksandr Nedovyesov, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-4, to capture the title.Venus defeated six opponents ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s preseason rankings, including Nedovyesov and Georgia’s Alex Clayton, who is ranked No. 4.”LSU has had many great players in the history of the program. For Michael to be the first to win speaks to both the prestige of the tournament and to his level of play,” LSU coach Jeff Brown said in a news release. “It’s also validation of the program in all that we are doing in practice, weights and conditioning is getting results.”Making Venus’ feat more impressive was the fact he played the final match with severe knee pain. LSU assistant coach Danny Bryan said he didn’t think Venus would finish the match.”His knee was hurting him so badly, I though he was going to have to stop the match,” Bryan said. “But he was able to fight through it, and that’s what made the third set so amazing.”Venus said Bryan’s words of encouragement helped him through the match’s final set.”Danny motivated me and reminded me of how hard I had worked,” Venus said. “It gave me the motivation I needed to push through when things got tough.”