The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
SMU
No. 8 Men’s Tennis tops SMU in home opener
01.20.2019 | Men's Tennis
The Longhorns downed the Mustangs, 6-1, to move to 2-0 on the season.
Austin, Texas – The No. 8 Texas Men's Tennis team opened its 2019 home slate with a 6-1 win over SMU at the Texas Tennis Center on Sunday. With the win the Longhorns moved to 2-0 this season and secured their 18th consecutive win over the Mustangs.
Texas opened the match by earning the doubles point with a pair of 6-1 wins as junior Yuya Ito and freshman Chih Chi Huang defeated Michael Smith and Andrew Buhelos, while seniors Colin Markes and Leonardo Telles topped Avery Pennywell and Tomas Vaise. The third doubles match was left unfinished at 3-3 between No. 33 senior Harrison Scott and junior Christian Sigsgaard against Carles Sarrio and Huntley Allen.
Senior Rodrigo Banzer played in the six spot for the Longhorns and took the first singles point with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Allen by winning 10-straight games, including the last four of the first set. No. 18 Ito followed with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Roberto Rosales in second singles, winning the first nine games of the match. Scott and Telles then picked up virtually simultaneous wins to clinch the team win. Scott's victory came over Jan-Simon Vrbsky (6-4, 6-4) in fourth singles, while Telles' was over Tomas Vaise (6-4, 6-2) in third singles. No. 103 Huang was victorious in the only three-set match of the day by winning a 10-point tiebreaker in the third over Gardiner Perotti (4-6, 6-1, 1-0 [5]). Texas' lone defeat on the day came as No. 4 Christian Sigsgaard fell to No. 51 Carles Sarrio (6-4, 6-0).
Texas resumes play next weekend when it hosts Washington, Miami and Utah State for the ITA Kick-Off Weekend event at Texas Tennis Center. Both opening matches between the Longhorns and Huskies, and the Hurricanes and Aggies will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25. The Consolation and Championship matches will then at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26.
Head coach Michael Center
On the match: (SMU) was improved and more aggressive then they have been. We were pretty good, but inconsistent today. We had moments where I thought we were emotionally and physically really engaged, and we also had some lapses where we can improve on and be more consistent.
On the environment: It was cold this morning so we weren't sure how the day was going to go, but it turned out to be a nice day. I was pleased with the crowd. It helps the energy a lot, and we hope the crowd continues to grow. We hope everyone enjoyed the new bleachers.
On play after competitive first sets: There were so many momentum swings in the matches that we can't get too worked up. We try to figure out what's the best ways to attack the opponent and make them feel uncomfortable. We talk strategically, we never worry about whether we are ahead or behind at that moment, and we just need to continue to compete and execute what we want to do.
On preparation for upcoming week: We still have to play with energy. This group is very talented, but can be quiet at times. We need to raise our energy level and come out swinging. We need to be more aggressive at the beginning of matches. It's something we've talked about and will continue to work on in practice. It's early in the year and there are a lot of things that can improve, but that is something we have control over.
On the individual performances: Yuya (Ito) did a great job and got off the court first. Didn't see a lot of Rodrigo (Banzer), but he got off the court second and looked like he played well. We were strong in the middle today finishing at about the same time. Chih Chi (Huang) lost a first tough set, but he has been incredibly resilient. Christian (Sigsgaard) had a tough day, it happens sometimes. He got down on himself against a good player, so we talked about it and we are going to work on staying in there on the tough situations. Overall it was a great team effort.
Junior Yuya Ito
On the match: We started well, especially with singles. In doubles, my partner Chih Chi, and I played well and were able to get the win. It carried over into singles where I started well. My opponent was tough in the second set, but I was able to get over him.
On playing well in the first set heading into the second: It was definitely a confidence booster. Winning the first set is always good for me and the team, as well because it sets the vibe. It also gave me the confidence to be able to go for my shots in the second set.
On the environment in the home opener: The crowd has always been amazing here. Last year, we lost our home opener against Notre Dame, so we wanted to get the first win here today. Everyone on the team is very happy we were able to do that.
On preparations for next week: I know my tennis well enough where I can prepare myself for next weekend, especially having national indoors on the line. For me, I will continue to work on my serve and my aggressive play which will be key for the match.
Senior Leonardo Telles
On the match: It was a good match. My opponent was a tricky player having a great serve and being a lefty. I struggled in the beginning to find my way into service games, but got more confident as the match went on and finished stronger than I started.
On winning a competitive first set: I wanted to keep my momentum going and have it carry over into the second set, which I was able to do. It helped me gain confidence and I was able to go for more aggressive shots.
On first home win: It helps build confidence going into the rest of the season. It's always great to win at home, especially our first match. As I mentioned earlier, we lost our home opener last year, so it feels extra special to be able to get the first win here today. Now it's time to get ready for Washington on Friday.
On having a big crowd: It was great. I love having a big crowd. My family was able to be here, which made the day more special since they don't get to watch me play that much. We hope to have the same crowd at our match on Friday.
No. 8 Texas 6, SMU 1
Singles – Order of Finish (6,2,4,3,1,5)
1. #51 Carles Sarrio (SMU) def. #4 Christian Sigsgaard (UT), 6-4, 6-0
2. #18 Yuya Ito (UT) def. Roberto Rosales (SMU), 6-0, 6-2
3. Leonardo Telles (UT) def. Tomas Vaise (SMU), 6-4, 6-2
4. Harrison Scott (UT) def. Jan-Simon Vrbsky (SMU), 6-4, 6-4
5. #103 Chih Chi Huang (UT) def. Gardiner Perotti (SMU), 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-5)
6. Rodrigo Banzer (UT) def. Huntley Allen (SMU), 6-2, 6-0
Doubles – Order of Finish (3,2)
1. Carles Sarrio/Huntley Allen (SMU) vs. #33 Christian Sigsgaard/Harrison Scott (UT), 3-3 unfinished
2. Colin Markes/Leonardo Telles (UT) def. Avery Pennywell/Tomas Vaise (SMU), 6-1
3. Chih Chi Huang/Yuya Ito (UT) def. Michael Smith/Andrew Buhelos (SMU), 6-1
Players Mentioned
