ATHENS, Ga. – The third-ranked and second-seeded UCLA doubles team of Martin Redlicki and Evan Zhu blitzed Auburn's duo of Maxime Hinnisdaels and Conner Huertas, 6-3, 6-3, in Thursday's first round of the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Doubles Championship. The win moved Redlicki-Zhu to Friday's Round of 16, where the pair will face the Texas Tech team of Connor Curry and Bjorn Thomson.

Redlicki-Zhu was never threatened in its opener on the Feild Courts at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. The straight-set win improved the tandem's record to 20-4 on the season. Hinnisdaels-Huertas, which checked into the match slotted at No. 21 in the latest Oracle/ITA rankings, completed its season with a 16-11 mark.

"We both came out really ready to play and I think we were making lots of first serves, making returns, and making them play every point," Redlicki said. "We got a couple of breaks and there was just good execution all around."

Curry and Thomson enters the Round of 16 fresh off a dramatic comeback victory over Virginia Tech's Jai Corbett and Henrik Korsgaard Thursday. No. 24 Corbett-Korsgaard blanked the 18th-ranked Red Raider duo in the first set, but was unable to carry its success any further. Curry-Thomson went on to win by a 0-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6) score.

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