UCLA
Indiana
Top Courts Lead No. 7 UCLA to Opening Win
January 25, 2019 | Men's Tennis
LOS ANGELES – The No. 7 UCLA men's tennis opened the dual-match portion of its season Friday, defeating Indiana 4-1 in ITA Kick-Off Weekend play at Los Angeles Tennis Center.
It was a big day for Maxime Cressy and Keegan Smith, who teamed for a doubles victory before each went on to triumph in singles play. Smith provided the clinching point. Freshman Govind Nanda made it a clean sweep on the top courts, adding a win in his dual-match debut.
Saturday's championship match will pit UCLA against San Diego, which cruised to a 4-0 win over Ole Miss earlier Friday. First serve between the Bruins and Toreros at LATC is set for 3 p.m., PT.
The Hoosiers matched the Bruins shot for shot in doubles play, with the point coming down to a winner-take-all decision on Court 3. UCLA's top-court team of Cressy and Smith impressed in its debut, leading throughout en route to a 6-3 win over Patrick Fletchall and Brandon Lam. The Indiana pair of Bennett Crane and Carson Haskins kept Ben Goldberg and Govind Nanda at bay before momentarily knotting things at one match apiece with a 6-4 win.
The combination of Bryce Pereira and Patrick Zahraj fell behind early against Indiana's Payam Ahmadi and Zac Brodney, as all three matches teetered in doubt. Following the UCLA win on the top court, though, Pereira and Zahraj took charge. With all eyes on their court, the Bruins buried the Hoosiers 6-4 and took the day's opening point.
Carson Haskins and Indiana quickly tied the score after Connor Hance was forced to retire on Court 5.
With the score even, UCLA's top-court trio asserted its dominance. Cressy was first off the courts, dropping just three games against Antonio Cembellin on the top court to make it 2-1. Nanda gained steam as his match against Indiana's Brandon Lam progressed, working his way to a 6-4, 6-2 win.
Bennett Crane of Indiana presented a stiff challenge to Smith, as the first set went to a tiebreaker. There, Smith bested his 96th-ranked opponent to the tune of a 7-2 score and carried momentum into the second set. The reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year proved too much, wrapping things up with a 7-6 (2), 6-2 decision.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2,3
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
5,1,3,2
Players Mentioned
