TJC's Alex Despoja competes in the quarterfinals on Wednesday in the NJCAA National Tennis Tournament in Plano. (Michel Alfaro/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

For the first time this week, TJC has taken the lead in the race for the national tennis championship.

The Apaches lead the NJCAA Division I National Tennis Tournament with 40 points, followed by defending national champion Cowley (Kansas) (39), Eastern Florida State (37), host Collin (30) and Seward (Kansas) (29). Jakcsonville College is tied for 16th with 11 points. There are 29 schools competing.

With rain pouring in the Metroplex, matches were moved indoors to McKinney, near host site Collin College in Plano. Semifinal singles matches were played, but doubles semifinals were postponed until Friday.

TJC won five of six singles matches.

Tyler players in the finals include: No. 2 seed Juan Carlos Garcia (Flight 1), No. 1 Alex Despoja (Flight 3), No. 2 Dan Persson (Flight 4), No. 1 Faiz Nasyam (Flight 5) and No. 1 Daniel Borisov (Flight 6).

The Apaches will face Eastern Florida State players in the finals of Flight 1, Flight 3 and Flight 4 and they face Cowley in the finals for Flight 5 and Flight 6.

In Flight 2, netters from Cowley and Barton (Kansas) face off in the finals.

The singles finals are scheduled for 8 a.m. Friday.

In doubles, Tyler has teams in the semifinals of Flight 2 (No. 2 Doni Gashi-Persson) and Flight 3 (No. 4 Samer Al Tori-Calvin Golmei).

The doubles semifinals are scheduled for 11 a.m., followed by the finals are 2 p.m.

Flight 1 Singles

Semifinals — No. 2 Juan Carlos Garcia, TJC, def. No. 3 Bruno Nhavene, Cowley (Kansas),  6-2, 6-3.

Championship — Garcia vs. No. 1 Hugo Carr, Eastern Florida State, 8 a.m. Friday.

Flight 2 Singles

Semifinals — No. 2 Reiya Komagata, Cowley (Kansas) def. No. 3 Samer Al Tori, TJC, 6-1, 7-6 (3).

Championship — Komagata vs. No. 1 Gabriel Garay, Barton (Kansas), 8 a.m. Friday.

Flight 3 Singles

Semifinals — No. 1 Alex Despoja, TJC, def. Cem Atlamis, Seward (Kansas), 6-2, 6-1.

Championship — Despoja vs. No. 2 Nick Devivo, Eastern Florida State, 8 a.m. Friday.

Flight 4 Singles

Semifinals — No. 2 Dan Persson, TJC, def. No. 3 Pedro De La Riva, Cowley (Kansas), 6-3, 6-3.

Championship — Persson vs. No. 1 Tomas Quesada Perez, Eastern Florida State, 8 a.m. Friday.

Flight 5 Singles

Semifinals — No. 1 Faiz Nasyam, TJC, def. No. 5 Luke Stula Takumi, Collin, 6-0, 6-2.

Championship — Fasyam vs. No. 2 Tadeo Gaggiofatto, Cowley (Kansas), 8 a.m. Friday.

Flight 6 Singles

Semifinals — No. 1 Daniel Borisov, TJC, def. No. 4 Alexandr Achour, Eastern Florida State, 7-6 (4), 6-1.

Championship — Borisov vs. No. 2 Alejandro Gonzalez, Cowley (Kansas), 8 a.m. Friday.

Flight 1 Doubles

Semifinals — No. 1 Reiya Komagata-Bruno Nhavene, Cowley (Kansas) vs. No. 5 Samuel Antwi-Cem Atlamis, Seward (Kansas), 11 a.m. Friday; Amen Prince Gandonou-Hod-Abalo Isak Padio, Iowa Central, vs. No. 7 Charlie Brady-Matias Ruiz, Jones (Mississippi), 11 a.m. Friday.

Flight 2 Doubles

Semifinals — No. 2 Doni Gashi-Dan Persson, TJC, vs. No. 3 Gabriel Garay-Shane Tapera, Barton (Kansas), 11 a.m. Friday; No. 1 Nick Devivo-Colin Tavares, Eastern Florida State, vs. No. 4 Pedro De La Riva-Valentin Greco, Cowley (Kansas), 11 a.m. Friday.

Flight 3 Doubles

Semifinals — No. 4 Samer Al Tori-Calvin Golmei, TJC, vs. No. 1 Alejandro Gonzalez-Omar Suarez, Cowley (Kansas), 11 a.m. Friday; No. 2 Alexandr Achour-Tomas Quesada Perez, Eastern Florida State, vs. No. 3 Enrique Doldan Sisa-Luke Stula Takumi, Collin, 11 a.m. Friday.