University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
#15 Alabama
Vols Take Down No. 15 Alabama, 4-2
April 03, 2009 | Men's Tennis
April 3, 2009
The Tennessee men's tennis team knew it would have a battle on its hands Friday afternoon as it never is easy to beat a team twice in the same season but the fourth-ranked Vols did just that beating 15th-ranked Alabama, 4-2 on a windy day at the UT Outdoor Varsity Courts. The Vols beat Alabama by the same score 12 days ago in the championship match of the Blue Gray Tennis Classic.
"Doubles really set the tone for us today," associate head coach Chris Woodruff said. "It was the best we've looked in doubles all season. We were disciplined and professional in how we approached play in doubles and all three courts played well.
"In singles, we have so many ways that we can knock you out. We can hurt you in so many ways and today really illustrated that. It was a good win for us but we have to keep it in perspective. (Head coach) Sam (Winterbotham) and I are proud of the guys but we expect them to come to practice tomorrow with their focus on Auburn."
Tennessee (17-3, 6-1) jumped out to big advantages on courts one and two in doubles and never let the Tide in either match. On court one, Davey Sandgren and John-Patrick Smith were up 3-0 quickly on Alabama's 41st-ranked duo of Dan Buikema and Mathieu Thibaudeau and never let Bama's top-duo get any closer, winning 8-5. Sandgren and Smith, ranked seventh in the country, are now 13-5 in dual-match, including a 6-1 mark in the SEC with all matches coming at the top-spot in the lineup.
The Vols clinched the point when Boris Conkic and Matteo Fago won 8-3 over 60th-ranked Billy Mertz and Saketh Myneni. Conkic and Fago are 10-4 this season in dual-match play.
UT is now 13-0 this season when it wins the doubles point.
Smith put Tennessee up 2-0 when he made quick work of 34th-ranked Myneni at No. 1 singles. Smith won 6-1, 6-2 to improve his dual-match record this season to 13-4.
Alabama (17-4, 5-2) got on the board when Mertz defeated Matt Brewer, 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 5 position.
Conkic put the Vols on the verge of victory with a win at No. 2. The Novi Sad, Serbia, native won 7-6, 6-4 over 87th-ranked Thibaudeau and is now 13-2 this season at the No. 2 spot in the singles lineup.
The Crimson Tide got back within one when Michael Thompson dropped Sandgren, 6-4, 7-5 at No. 4.
Freshman Christian Hansen clinched the win for UT with a straight-set win at the No. 6 position over Michael Jung. Hansen has become the UT tennis version of a baseball closer as the Germany native has now clinched four of UT's last five victories and has a team-high six clinching wins this season. Hansen is now 8-1 this season at the No. 6 position in the lineup.
Fago was ahead in his match against Buikema, 6-7, 6-3, 2-1 when the match was cancelled. The UT sophomore remains undefeated (17-0) in regular season SEC dual-matches.
The Vols play their final home match of the season Sunday against 27th-ranked Auburn (10-6, 3-3) at 1 p.m. UT has no seniors on what is traditionally senior day and will instead honor Woodruff for his induction into the ITA Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame last May.
| No. 4 Tennessee 4, No. 15 Alabama 2 | ||||
| Singles | ||||
| 1. | No. 9 John-Patrick Smith (UT) | def. | No. 34 Saketh Myneni (UA) | 6-1, 6-2 |
| 2. | No. 33 Boris Conkic (UT) | def. | No. 87 Mathieu Thibaudeau (UA) | 7-6, 6-4 |
| 3. | Matteo Fago (UT) | led | Dan Buikema (UA) | 6-7, 6-3, 2-1 |
| 4. | Michael Thompson (UA) | def. | Davey Sandgren (UT) 6-4, 7-5 | |
| 5. | Billy Mertz (UA) | def. | Matt Brewer (UT) 7-5, | 6-2 |
| 6. | Christian Hansen (UT) | def. | Michael Jung (UA) | 6-4, 7-5* |
| Order of Finish: 1,5,2,4,6 | ||||
| Doubles | ||||
| 1. | No. 7 Sandgren/Smith (UT) | def. | No. 41 Buikema/Thibaudeau (UA) | 8-5 |
| 2. | Conkic/Fago (UT) | def. | No. 60 Mertz/Myneni (UA) | 8-3 |
| 3. | Brewer/Swartz (UT) | led | Doverspike/Felsenthal (UA) | 7-5 |
| Order of Finish: 1,2 | ||||
Players Mentioned
