Jan. 21, 2006
SAN DIEGO - The 43rd-ranked San Diego State men's tennis team opened its 2006 campaign at home Saturday with a convincing 6-1 victory over UC Riverside at Aztec Tennis Center. With the triumph, the Aztecs (1-0) won their season opener for the first time since 2002, while the Highlanders dropped to 1-1 on the year.
SDSU jumped to an early 1-0 lead after sweeping all three doubles matches. Freshman Billy Timu saw his first action as an Aztec when he teamed with junior Christian Groh at the No. 3 position to defeat the UCR duo of Giancarlo Cava and Bobby Tam, 8-3, securing the point for the scarlet and black.
SDSU then took care of business in singles play, winning five of six contests. Senior Benedikt Stronk, junior Markus Dickhardt and Groh all cruised to straight-set victories at Nos. 1-3. Senior Stephan Timu and sophomore Robert Sabo were also successful in their matches.
Sabo, the 84th-ranked player in the country, was extended to three sets before dispatching Bobby Tam, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.
The Aztecs will hit the road for their next match, traveling to No. 20 Southern California next Friday, set to begin at 1:30 p.m.
NO. 43 SAN DIEGO STATE 6, UC RIVERSIDE 1
Doubles:
(1) Stronk/Dickhardt (SDSU) def. Contreras/Frick (UCR), 8-2.
(2) S. Timu/Sabo (SDSU) def. Montgomery/N. Tam (UCR), 8-4.
(3) Groh/B. Timu (SDSU) def. Cava/B. Tam (SDSU), 8-3.
SDSU wins doubles point
Singles:
(1) Benedikt Stronk (SDSU) def. Norman Tam (UCR), 6-2, 6-4.
(2) Markus Dickhardt (SDSU) def. Mark Contreras (UCR), 6-0, 6-1.
(3) Christian Groh (SDSU) def. Justin Montgomery (UCR), 6-1, 6-1.
(4) Joe Cartledge (UCR) def. Billy Timu (SDSU), 6-4, 6-3.
(5) No. 84 Robert Sabo (SDSU) def. Bobby Tam (UCR), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.
(6) Stephan Timu (SDSU) def. Christian Frick (UCR), 6-2, 6-2.
Order of finish: D1, D3*, D2, S3, S2, S1*, S6, S4, S5.
*match-securing victories