Friday, 02/26/2010

Senior Saketh Myneni picks up second consecutive match over a ranked opponent

 

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The 28th-ranked Alabama men’s tennis team outlasted No. 16 Pepperdine for the 4-2 victory in a match that lasted nearly four hours Friday at the Alabama Tennis Stadium. With the win, the Crimson Tide improves to 4-5 on the season, while the Waves fall to 4-4 overall.

 

Alabama got out to the early 1-0 lead after securing the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3. The dual match would remain close, however, coming down to the final two pairings being played on court four and court six. Sophomore Michael Davis would end up clinching the win for Alabama in a three-set thriller by a score of 6-1, 6-7(5) 6-2. In addition, senior Saketh Myneni picked up his second consecutive win over a ranked opponent by downing Pepperdine senior Bassam Beidas, ranked 44th in the nation, 6-2, 6-2.

 

Next up, the Tide will take part in a doubleheader on Sunday when it hosts Eastern Kentucky at 10:00 a.m. (CST) followed by Winthrop at 3:00 p.m. (CST). All action takes places at the Alabama Tennis Stadium. Admission is free.

 

RESULTS

Doubles

1. Beidas/Llompart (PU) def. Myneni/Davis (UA) 8-6

2. Doverspike/Thompson (UA) def. Clarke/Tearney (PU) 8-4

3. Yassine/Walston (UA) def. Fanselow/Turner (PU) 8-6

Order of Finish: 2,1,3

 

Singles

1. No. 61 Saketh Myneni (UA) def. No. 44 Bassam Beidas (PU) 6-2, 6-2

2. Ricky Doverspike (UA) def. Alex Llompart (PU) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3

3. Sebastian Fanselow (PU) def. Michael Thompson (UA) 6-0, 6-3

4. Mousheg Hovhannisyan (PU) vs. Houssam Yassine (UA) 2-6, 7-6(8), 4-3, unf.

5. No. 115 Finn Tearney (PU) def. Ian Chadwell (UA) 6-3, 7-6(5)

6. Michael Davis (UA) def. Daniel Moss (PU) 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-2

Order of Finish: 1,3,5,2,6*,4