UCLA
Wake Forest
UCLA Falls to Wake Forest, 4-2, in Indoors Final
February 19, 2018 | Men's Tennis
SEATTLE – The No. 7 UCLA men's tennis team's run at the ITA Team Indoor Championships came to an end Monday, as the Bruins fell to top-ranked Wake Forest, 4-2, at the Nordstrom Tennis Center. Three wins in prior days had secured the Bruins' spot in the final, making them the tournament's lowest-seeded finalist under the current seeding system.
UCLA locked up its fourth doubles point of the tournament to take an early lead, but a second-set tiebreak win by Skander Mansouri of Wake Forest secured the Demon Deacons' first Indoors title. The runner-up finish marked the fourth for the Bruins, who have won the tournament seven times.
Knotted at three games apiece in doubles play, the Demon Deacon duo of Petros Chrysochos and Bar Botzer broke Maxime Cressy and Bryce Pereira and never looked back, drawing first blood with a 6-4 victory on Court 3. It marked the first loss of the tournament for the Bruin pair.
On the top court, Martin Redlicki-Evan Zhu received a test from Wake Forest's top duo of Christian Seraphim-Ian Dempster, which was looking to secure the doubles point for the Demon Deacons. With mistakes few and far between for the Court 1 rivals one side needed a break. It finally came with the Bruins leading 6-5, giving Redlicki-Zhu the decision.
That left it up to Austin Rapp and Keegan Smith on Court 2, where the Bruin duo thrived throughout Indoors play. That proved no different against Wake Forest, as the Bruins came out triumphant over Borna Gojo and Skander Mansouri, 7-6(3), and moved to 3-0 on the tournament with two clinching victories.
The Demon Deacons showed why they are the nation's top-ranked team in singles, as they recovered from their doubles loss by taking four of six first sets. The Bruins were up against the same odds in Sunday's semifinal versus No. 6 Texas A&M and were once again forced to chip away at an early deficit.
Julian Zlobinsky quickly evened the overall tally, dispatching UCLA's Connor Hance on Court 6, 6-3, 6-0. Just as soon as the Demon Deacons tied the score, however, the Bruins pulled back ahead. Maxime Cressy defeated Rrezart Cungu of Wake Forest, 6-3, 6-2, putting UCLA just two wins away from the championship.
No. 6 Petros Chrysochos did his part in ensuring the Bruins would not get any closer, taking the last two games from Zhu on Court 2 to finalize a 6-3, 6-4 win and tie the overall score at two apiece. In one of three matches between ranked opponents, No. 112 Bar Botzer of Wake Forest handled No. 58 Logan Staggs, 6-4, 6-4, to put the Demon Deacons one point away from their first title.
Courts 1 and 3 were left to decide the championship, as ranked opponents faced off on both. While No. 100 Borna Gojo of Wake Forest was able to force a third set with No. 1 Redlicki on the top court thanks to a tiebreak win, the Bruins' No. 107 Keegan Smith hoped to accomplish the same feat against No. 22 Mansouri on Court 3. Smith dropped the first four points of his tiebreak—and eventually trailed 2-5—before mounting a comeback.
Down 5-6, Smith alternated the next four points with Mansouri. The Demon Deacon senior ultimately overcame the Bruin freshman to secure the tiebreak and match, 6-4, 7-6(7), as well as the Indoors title.
Monday's showdown represented the first match between Wake Forest and UCLA. The Bruins will return to Los Angeles Tennis Center Friday, Feb. 23, when they will take on visiting Portland (3:30 p.m.) in the second half of a doubleheader with the women's team.
Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs Wake Forest
Feb 19, 2018 at Seattle, Wash.
(Nordstrom Tennis Center)
No. 1 Wake Forest 4, No. 7 UCLA 2
Singles competition
1. #1 Martin Redlicki (UCLA) vs. #100 Borna Gojo (WAKE) 6-4, 6-7(3), unfinished
2. #6 Petros Chrysochos (WAKE) def. Evan Zhu (UCLA) 6-3, 6-4
3. #22 Skander Mansouri (WAKE) def. #107 Keegan Smith (UCLA) 6-4, 7-6(7)
4. #112 Bar Botzer (WAKE) def. #58 Logan Staggs (UCLA) 6-4, 6-4
5. Maxime Cressy (UCLA) def. Rrezart Cungu (WAKE) 6-3, 6-2
6. Julian Zlobinsky (WAKE) def. Connor Hance (UCLA) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Martin Redlicki/Evan Zhu (UCLA) def. Christian Seraphim/Ian Dempster (WAKE) 7-5
2. Austin Rapp/Keegan Smith (UCLA) def. Borna Gojo/Skander Mansouri (WAKE) 7-6(3)
3. Petros Chrysochos/Bar Botzer (WAKE) def. Maxime Cressy/Bryce Pereira (UCLA) 6-4
Match Notes:
UCLA 11-2; National ranking #7
Wake Forest 9-0; National ranking #1
Order of Finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,5,2,4,3)
Players Mentioned
