Alabama Men’s Tennis Improves to 7-0 After Rolling Over Virginia Tech, 4-1

Friday, January 26

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

6 p.m. CT

Alabama

Virginia Tech

1/26/2018 9:28:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score Photo Gallery Match Results (PDF)

The Crimson Tide begins the season 7-0 for the first time since 2008

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men's tennis team remained perfect in the 2018 campaign after defeating a strong Virginia Tech team , 4-1, Friday night inside the Roberta Alison Baumgardner Tennis Facility. With the victory over the Hokies (2-1), the Crimson Tide is 7-0 for the first time since 2008.

"Great physical match tonight, it was a total team effort," said head coach George Husack. "I told the guys before the season even started that I thought there was a great vibe in the locker room and that vibe just continues to grow every week. I'm really proud of them."

The Tide controlled doubles play from the start with freshman Riccardo Roberto and sophomore Zhe Zhou cruising past Kros/Donato, 6-1 and the stellar duo of junior Mazen Osama and sophomore Edson Ortiz upsetting No. 14 Harper/Korsgaard, 6-2 to give UA the 1-0 advantage.

In singles play, freshman Patrick Kaukovalta played in his first-ever collegiate match and dominated Carlo Donato, 6-0, 6-3 to put Alabama up 2-0. Just minutes later, sophomore Alexey Nesterov put away Chase Bernstine in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, extending the UA lead to 3-0.

After Zhou fell to No. 97 Alexandre Ribeiro, 7-5, 6-4, Ortiz clinched the win for the Tide after defeating Henrik Korsgaard in a hard-fought three-set match, 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-1 to give UA the 4-1 victory.

Alabama men's tennis will return to action on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. CT with another home match when it takes on Penn State inside the Roberta Alison Baumgardner Tennis Facility. The men's match is a part of a tennis tripleheader with the women's team playing at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Alabama Results:

Singles:

1. No. 68 Mitch Harper vs. Mazen Osama, 7-5, 2-6, 3-0, unf.

2. Thibault Cancel vs. No. 80 Jason Kros, 6-4, 4-6, 4-3, unf.

3. No. 97 Alexandre Ribeiro def. Zhe Zhou, 7-5, 6-4

4. Patrick Kaukovalta def. Carlo Donato, 6-0, 6-3

5. Edson Ortiz def. Henrik Korsgaard, 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-1

6. Alexey Nesterov def. Chase Bernstine, 6-2, 6-2

Order of Finish: 4, 6, 3, 5

Doubles:

1. Ortiz/Osama def. No. 14 Harper/Koorsgaard, 6-2

2. Cancel/Nesterov vs. Ribeiro/Bernstine, 5-4, unf.

3. Roberto/Zhou def. Kros/Donato, 6-1

Order of Finish: 3, 1

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