@CanesMensTennis Falls 4-2 in ITA Kickoff
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The No. 52 ranked University of Miami men’s tennis team fell to 1-2 in the 2015 spring season after a tough 4-2 loss to No. 40 Drake in the ITA Kickoff Weekend at the Hurd Tennis Center at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. The Canes won two singles matches and one doubles match.
“Our team fought hard today on every court,” said head coach Mario Rincon. “We had plenty of chances in the doubles point,” added Rincon.
In singles action, senior Henrique Tsukamoto a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was pushed to the limit in a close match against Matt Frost, but would go on to a 7-6, 7-5 victory. Tsukamoto is now 3-0 in singles matches in the 2015 spring season.
Freshman Niclas Genovese won his first singles match as a Hurricane coming out on top in another tight match against Bayo Philips. Genovese won the first set handily and found just enough to close out the second set in a tiebreak winning, 6-2, 7-6(5).
“Niclas was able to impose his game and showed great poise in his two set win,” said Rincon. “Henrique hit the ball aggressively, and was able to put his opponent away in two sets also.”
No. 56 Piotr Lomacki fell in a tough three-set match against No. 46 Alen Salibasic, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. Senior Wilfredo Gonzalez came back to win the second set handily against No. 30 Ben Lott but was unable to close in the third, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.
Lone sophomore Bernard Tefel went down in straight sets after a tough first set setback against Ben Stride, 7-5, 6-3.
Freshman Christian Langmo faced Ravi Patel in a close three-set match, which was left unfinished, 4-6, 6-4, 1-3.
In doubles action, the Canes went down in three tough matches. Tsukamoto and Lomacki faced Alen Salibasic and Ben Lott and came out on top in a tight match, 6-4. In another close match, Gonzalez and Langmo could not close out against Matt Frost and Ravi Patel, 7-5. In the third match, the freshmen duo of Andrew Harrington and Alexander Fahnehjelm fell against Ben Stride and Bayo Philips, 6-4.
“We face another tough opponent tomorrow, and our team will be ready for the challenge as we continue to get better,” added Rincon.
The third-seeded Hurricanes will now face the forth-seed No. 61 Tulane in the consolation match Sunday at 12 p.m. CT at the Hurd Tennis Center.
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#52 Miami 2, #40 Drake 4
Singles competition
1. #46 Alen Salibasic (Drake) def. #56 Piotr Lomacki (UM), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
2. #30 Ben Lott (Drake) def. Wilfredo Gonzalez (UM), 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
3. Henrique Tsukamoto (UM) def. Matt Frost (Drake), 7-6, 7-5
4. Ravi Patel (Drake) vs. Christian Langmo (UM), 4-6, 6-4, 3-1, unfinished
5. Ben Stride (Drake) def. Bernard Tefel (UM), 7-5, 6-3
6. Niclas Genovese (UM) def. Bayo Philips (Drake), 6-2, 7-6(5)
Doubles competition
1. Tsukamoto/Lomacki (UM) def. Salibasic/Lott (Drake), 6-4
2. Frost/Patel (Drake) def. Gonzalez/Langmo (UM), 7-5
3. Stride/Philips (Drake) def. Harrington/Fahnehjelm (UM), 6-4
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,5,3,1,2)
