TCU Tennis Takes Two In 2011 Home Opener
FORT WORTH, Texas – The TCU men’s tennis team claimed a pair of 6-1 wins against UT Arlington and UT-Pan American Sunday at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
“Today was tough and long day, but exciting,” TCU first-year head coach David Roditi said. “It was fun for me. Obviously, I had some different emotions going on today, but it’s exciting because it opens a new era for me.”
“It was a tough challenge for our team to open the year with a doubleheader,” Roditi added. “I don’t think I would ever schedule like this again unless we were starting the year in the top-10, because it was tough to go back-to-back against two solid programs in UTA and UT Pan-Am. They are two good teams and I didn’t know how the guys were going to respond, but I’m proud of the way we handled the change in venues and all of the emotions of a home opener.”
TCU started the day with the Mavericks, taking two out of three in the doubles action for an early 1-0 advantage. The Frogs had to earn a tough-fought win from their nationally-ranked double team of senior Emanuel Brighiu and senior Christopher Price at the top court, 8-6.
Heading into singles play, sophomore Slah Mbarek took care of business, earning his first win of the season in straight-sets over Nicolas Moreno at the No. 5 court, 6-3, 6-3. Later, senior Zach Nichols gave the Frogs a 3-0 lead in the match with a 6-4, 7-5 victory from the third spot versus Lucas Leppin.
Looking to seal the first team win of the season for the Purple and White, senior Cameron Nash didn’t need much time with UTA’s Jason Lateko from the No. 6 spot, dominating in straight-sets, 6-4, 6-0.
After clinching the win over the Mavericks, the Frogs also saw
singles wins from sophomore Soren Goritzka and Price.
With the temperatures falling with the sun and the high winds whipping, TCU had to force the second-half of its doubleheader against UTPA inside at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
The Frogs’ doubles play would again come up big, sweeping the Broncos on all courts to jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the team scoring. Brighiu and Price led to clinch the point with an 8-5 decision from the top court versus UTPA’s top duo of Aswin Vijayaragavan and Beau Bernstein.
In the singles portion, the Frogs’ would again forge ahead out of the gate, as Price picked up his second win of the day, 6-1, 6-2 from the No. 5 court. Mbarek would push TCU within one point of the finish line, streaking to a 6-1, 6-3 decision from the fourth spot. Nichols fortified the Frogs’ second team win of the day and the 2011 season from the middle court, defeating UTPA’s Marcus Dornauf in a second-set tiebreaker, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
With team play still resuming after the win, Goritzka had to battle from behind to take down Bernstein at the No. 2 position. The Wilhemshaven, Germany, product had to perservere from an upsetting first set to bounce back and take 12 of the next 16 games and win, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Nash also earned his second win of the day, making light work of the Bronco’s Abdel Riani, 6-2, 6-1.
The Frogs will continue to open the 2011 slate at home, welcoming Texas A&M Corpus Christi to the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center Saturday, Jan. 29. First serve is set for 10 a.m.
No. 49 TCU 6, UT Arlington 1
Fort Worth, Texas
SINGLES
1. Mindaugas Celedinas (UTA) def. Emanuel Brighiu (TCU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
2. Soren Goritzka (TCU) def. Yauheni Yakauleu (UTA) 6-4, 6-4
3. Zach Nichols (TCU) def. Lucas Leppin (UTA) 6-4, 7-5
4. Christopher Price (TCU) def. David Subirats (UTA) 7-6 (7-0), 7-5
5. Slah Mbarek (TCU) def. Nicolas Moreno (UTA) 6-3, 6-3
6. Cameron Nash (TCU) def. Jason Lateko (UTA) 6-4, 6-0
Order of Finish: 5,3,6*,2,1,4
DOUBLES
1. No. 55 Brighiu/Price (TCU) def. Celedinas/Yakauleu (UTA) 8-6
2. Mbarek/Goritzka (TCU) def. Moreno/Subirats (UTA) 8-4
3. Leppin/Hamon (UTA) def. Nichols/Sanchez (TCU) 8-6
Order of Finish: 2,3,1*
No. 49 TCU 6, UT-Pan American 1
Fort Worth, Texas
SINGLES
1. Aswin Vijayaragavan (UTPA) def. Emanuel Brighiu (TCU) 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 1-0 (10-8)
2. Soren Goritzka (TCU) def. Beau Bernstein (UTPA) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
3. Zach Nichols (TCU) def. Marcus Dornauf (UTPA) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Slah Mbarek (TCU) def. Matt Teivans (UTPA) 6-1, 6-3
5. Christopher Price (TCU) def. Ricardo Hopker (UTPA) 6-1, 6-2
6. Cameron Nash (TCU) def. Abdel Riani (UTPA) 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 5,4,3*, 2,1,6
DOUBLES
No. 55 Brighiu/Price (TCU) def. Vijayaragavan/Bernstein (UTPA) 8-5
2. Goritzka/Mbarek (TCU) def. Dornauf/Teivans (UTPA) 8-7 (7-5)
3. Sanchez/Nichols (TCU) def. Hopker/Riani (UTPA) 8-3
Order of finish: 3,1*,2
