The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
UCF
No. 8 Men’s Tennis opens Big 12 play with 4-0 sweep over No. 34 UCF
03.22.2024 | Men's Tennis
The Longhorns earned their second consecutive sweep, and seventh sweep of the season, in opening conference play against the Knights.
Austin – No. 8 Texas Men's Tennis (13-3, 1-0) swept their Big 12 Conference opener, 4-0, over No. 34 UCF (14-2, 0-1) on Friday night at the Texas Tennis Center.
After taking the doubles point with wins at Nos. 2 and 1, the Longhorns claimed three singles matches with wins from senior No. 1 Eliot Spizzirri at No. 1, junior Pierre-Yves Bailly at No. 3, and senior Cleeve Harper at No. 6 to clinch.
In doubles, Pierre-Yves Bailly and senior Eshan Talluri were first off the court with a 6-2 win over Liam Branger and Lleyton Cronje at No. 2. Talluri and Bailly opened on a 3-0 run which saw them collect a deuce-point break in the second game. Branger and Cronje ended the streak with a deuce-point hold for 3-1, and after the next three games stayed on serve for a 5-2 lead for the Longhorns, they were able to break for the win.
On court 1, the No. 53 pair of Spizzirri and senior Siem Woldeab secured the doubles point with a 6-4 win over Yassine Dlimi and Paul Colin. The match opened with consecutive deuce-point holds and stayed on serve all the way through 5-4. Woldeab and Spizzirri threatened to break at 4-3, but the Knight tandem was able to hold on a deuce-point for 4-4. With Woldeab and Spizzirri leading 5-4, the senior pair earned the match's only break, claiming it on a deuce point to give Texas a 1-0 advantage in the match.
Senior Micah Braswell and Harper were trailing, 5-4, but in the midst of a 3-0 run against Francisco Llanes and Santiago Giamichelle on court 3 when play stopped. Llanes and Giamichelle opened the match with a deuce-point break to begin a 4-0 run before Braswell and Harper held serve for 4-1. The UCF duo held on a deuce point in the following game for 5-1, but the tandem of Braswell and Harper stormed back with a hold, deuce-point break, and a hold for 5-4 right before the match was left unfinished.
In singles play, Spizzirri was the first off the court with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Dlimi at No. 1. After Spizzirri held serve to open, the next three games were decided on deuce points. Dlimi earned a deuce-point hold and a deuce-point break in the second and third games for a 2-1 lead, but Spizzirri would break back on a deuce point for 2-2. The match's next five games stayed on serve for a 5-4 lead for Spizzirri, including Dlimi holding on a deuce point for 4-4, but Spizzirri managed a break to secure the first set. Spizzirri's break in the final game of the first set sparked an impressive 7-0 run for a speedy second set. The Texas senior broke the only game of the second set that was decided by a deuce point for 4-0 on the way to the 6-0 win.
Pierre-Yves Bailly was next off the singles courts with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Lleyton Cronje at No. 3. Bailly began the match on a 5-0 run which saw him earn one deuce-point break in the process. Cronje was able to hold serve for 5-1 then collect a deuce-point break for 5-2, but Bailly would earn a deuce-point break himself in the following game to take the first set. After the first three games of the second set stayed on serve, with the second game being a deuce-point hold for Cronje, Bailly broke for 3-1 to begin a 4-0 run which closed out the match.
The clinching match for Texas was Harper's 6-2, 6-3 win over Mehdi Benchakroun on court 6. After the match's first three games stayed on serve, Harper took a deuce-point break for 3-1 that begin a streak of three-straight breaks. Harper then managed a deuce-point hold for 5-2 and broke once again to win the first set. The Texas senior carried his momentum into the second set by winning the first two games. Benchakroun ended Harper's 4-0 run with a break for 2-1, but Harper would break back for 3-1, then hold for 4-1. Benchakroun got back within 4-3, but Harper responded with two-straight games of his own to clinch the sweep for the Longhorns.
Three singles matches were still in progress when Harper clinched. On court 2, No. 2 Micah Braswell was in the middle of a competitive second set against Llanes when play ended. Llanes earned the match's first break on a deuce point for 3-2, but Braswell would break to even the set, 3-3. After Llanes broke back, the set stayed on serve the rest of way, giving him a 6-4 win. Three of the five games that were played in the second set were decided on deuce points. Llanes began the set with a 2-0 lead that was the result of a break followed by a deuce-point hold. The next three games stayed on serve, with the latter two being deuce-point holds. Llanes led the second set 3-2 when play concluded.
Woldeab led his match against Liam Branger on court 4, 6-2, 3-5, when play was halted. With Woldeab up, 4-1, Branger managed a break for 4-2, but Woldeab responded with a break then a hold, closing the door on the set. The second set's first three games stayed on serve, with Branger beginning the second set with a deuce-point hold. Branger broke then held for 4-1, and the following three games stayed on serve, with the final one being a Woldeab deuce-point hold right before play was ended.
Sophomore No. 67 Jonah Braswell had just won the first set in his match against Santiago Giamichelle on court 5 when the match concluded. Giamichelle opened the match with a 3-1 lead, but Braswell responded with a 3-1 run of his own, which featured him claiming back-to-back deuce points in the process. At 5-5, Braswell broke then held to win the first set, 7-5. Giamichelle was able to hold serve in the lone game of the second set when play ended.
Up next, Texas will host No. 2 TCU at the Texas Tennis Center on Sunday, March 24 at 4 p.m. CT.
#8 Texas 4, #34 UCF 0
Singles – Order of Finish (1,3,6)
1. #1 Eliot Spizzirri (UT) def. Yassine Dlimi (UCF) 6-4, 6-0
2. #2 Micah Braswell (UT) vs. Francisco Llanes (UCF) 4-6, 2-3, unf.
3. Pierre-Yves Bailly (UT) def. Lleyton Cronje (UCF) 6-2, 6-1
4. Siem Woldeab (UT) vs. Liam Branger (UCF) 6-2, 3-5, unf.
5. #67 Jonah Braswell (UT) vs. Santiago Giamichelle (UCF) 7-5, 0-1, unf.
6. Cleeve Harper (UT) def. Mehdi Benchakroun (UCF) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles – Order of Finish (2,1)
1. #53 Eliot Spizzirri/Siem Woldeab (UT) def. Yassine Dlimi/Paul Colin (UCF) 6-4
2. Pierre-Yves Bailly/Eshan Talluri (UT) def. Liam Branger/Lleyton Cronje (UCF) 6-2
3. Micah Braswell/Cleeve Harper (UT) vs. Francisco Llanes/Santiago Giamichelle (UCF) 4-5, unf.
Players Mentioned
