The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Wake Forest (ITA National Team Indoor Championships quarterfinals)
No. 2 Wake Forest edges No. 10 Men's Tennis, 4-3 at ITA National Team Indoors
02.18.2017 | Men's Tennis
Longhorns rally from 3-0 deficit but fall just short in Saturday’s quarterfinals at the National Indoors.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Tenth-seeded Texas (10-2) rallied from a 3-0 deficit behind singles wins from Yuya Ito, Harrison Scott and Leonardo Telles, but No. 2 seed Wake Forest (8-0) held on for a 4-3 win over the Longhorns Saturday in the quarterfinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships.
Texas opened the doubles session with a win at the third slot, where freshman Christian Sisgaard and sophomore Julian Zlobinsky posted a 6-3 win over Petros Chrysochos and Dennis Uspensky. Wake Forest answered with wins at the first and second positions to close out the doubles point.
The Demon Deacons' top-ranked duo of Skander Mansouri and Christian Seraphim took advantage of a late service break to defeat Telles and senior George Goldhoff, 7-5 at first doubles. Wake's Borna Gojo and Alan Gadjlev finished off the doubles point with a 7-6 (2) win over Scott and Ito at second doubles.
Wake Forest extended its lead to 2-0 behind Mansouri's 6-2, 6-2 win over Goldhoff at second singles. A three-set win from Wake's Chrysochos over UT's Sigsgaard at first singles gave the Demon Deacons a 3-0 lead, but Texas soon made its move.
UT's Ito went to a first-set tiebreaker with Wake's Christian Seraphim at fourth singles and prevailed, 7-2. Ito trailed 5-2 in a second-set tiebreaker before rallying all the way to a 9-7 tiebreak win to close out his match and deliver Texas its first point.
UT's Scott trailed Wake's Gojo a set and 5-2 in the second set at third singles before breaking Gojo, holding serve and breaking Gojo on a match point against him to even the set at five. Scott held serve and broke Gojo once more for a 7-5 second-set win.
Scott raced out to a 3-0 third-set lead and never let up on his way to a 6-2 third-set win that trimmed Wake Forest's lead to 3-2. Moments later, UT's Telles closed out a three-set win at fifth singles. Telles won the first set from Wake's Uspensky before yielding the second, 6-2. Telles broke Uspensky in the first service game of the third set and broke him once more for a 3-0 lead. Telles finished off a 6-3 third-set win to pull Texas even with Wake Forest at three.
At sixth singles, the last remaining court, UT sophomore Rodrigo Banzer took the first set off of Wake's Gadjlev, 6-4. Trailing 5-6 in the second set, Gadjlev held serve to force a tiebreaker, where he prevailed 7-1 to force a third set.
Banzer and Gadjlev held serve through the first four games of the third set before Gadjlev broke Banzer for a 3-2 lead. Banzer returned the favor and held serve for 4-3. However, Gadjlev held serve, broke Banzer for 5-4 and held serve in the ensuing game to close out the victory for Wake Forest.
Texas meets 11th-seeded Oklahoma State in a consolation match Sunday at 9 a.m. ET.
POST-MATCH COMMENTS
Texas head coach Michael Center
We played an incredible match today with Wake Forest. It came down to the last match, the last set, and it was a great team effort by the guys. Everyone really fought hard and competed really well. The bounce of the ball just didn't go our way today. We had a couple of tough breaks, but overall it was a great effort. We're disappointed we lost, but we're excited we get to play again tomorrow. We'll play a very good Oklahoma State team and come home. Our guys are growing and developing, and the best is yet to come.
ITA National Team Indoor Championships – Quarterfinals
No. 2 Wake Forest 4, No. 10 Texas 3
Doubles – Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
1 #1 Skander Mansouri/Christian Seraphim (WF) def. Leonardo Telles/George Goldhoff (UT), 7-5
2 Borna Gojo/Alan Gadjlev (WF) def. No. 27 Harrison Scott/Yuya Ito (UT), 7-6 (2)
3 Christian Sisgaaard/Julian Zlobinsky (UT) def. Petros Chrysochos/Dennis Uspensky (WF), 6-3
Singles – Order of Finish: 2, 1, 4, 3, 5, 6
1 No. 1 Petros Chrysochos (WF) def. No. 5 Christian Sigsgaard (UT), 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
2 No. 10 Skander Mansouri (WF) def. George Goldhoff (UT), 6-2, 6-2
3 No. 58 Harrison Scott (UT) def. Borna Gojo (WF), 3-6, 7-5, 6-2
4 No. 45 Yuya Ito (UT) def. No. 26 Christian Seraphim (WF), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (7)
5 Leonardo Telles (UT) def. Dennis Uspensky (WF), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
6 Alan Gadjlev (WF) def. Rodrigo Banzer (UT), 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4
Players Mentioned
