SAN DIEGO – After a two-week hiatus, the San Diego State men's tennis team resumes its spring schedule on Saturday, March 16, when it plays host to No. 30 San Diego in a non-conference dual match at Aztec Tennis Center. First serve is set for noon PT.
SDSU (5-4) emerged with a 4-0 whitewash over UC Davis in its last outing at home on Feb. 28, capturing the doubles point for just the third time this season before reeling off three straight wins in singles competition.
Against the Aggies, Igancio Martinez played a key role in the Aztecs' victory, teaming with Jan Kirchhoff to post an important 6-3 triumph over Daniel Landa and Alex Scemanenco at No. 2 doubles, before dispatching Nil Giraldez in the No. 3 singles position by a count of 6-2, 6-4.
Martinez and Kirchhoff also joined forces at the 130th edition of the Pacific Coast Doubles Championships at La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club earlier this month, where their run to the round of 16 was highlighted by an 8-3 upset over the tournament's No. 2 seeded tandem of Billy Griffith and J.T. Nishimura in the second round.
For his efforts in the two events, Martinez collected Mountain West Player of the Week honors on March 6, which marked his first career conference weekly award and the first for an SDSU competitor this season.
Not to be outdone, the Aztec duo of Arnaud Restifo and Fabian Roensdorf advanced to the round of 16 at the Pac Coast Doubles tournament, which featured wins over tandems from Villanova and Boston College.
For the season, Kirchhoff leads the Scarlet and Black with a 16-7 overall singles record and a 6-2 mark in dual matches, alternating between the fourth and fifth positions, while Sander Gjoels-Andersen has compiled a 6-3 ledger as well this spring, rotating in the second, third and fourth spots.
Gjoels-Andersen and Rafael Gonzalez Almazan have been the Aztecs' most successful doubles team in dual matches, posting a 5-4 record at the top of the ladder, while Kirchhoff and Martinez are 4-4 at No. 2. In addition, Roensdorf and Gavin Spencer have emerged triumphant in their last two encounters in the third slot.
USD extended its winning streak to four matches after posting a 4-2 victory at Gonzaga on March 9, to raise its record to 10-3 overall and 4-0 in the West Coast Conference. Earlier on Feb. 27, the Toreros came away with a come-from-behind 4-3 decision over then-No. 32 Oklahoma State at home.
USD has been led by Gui Osorio, who has compiled a 10-3 record this spring, alternating between top two spots in his team's lineup to earn a No. 70 ranking in the latest ITA singles poll released March 5. In addition, August Holmgren has seen action in the first and second spots on the Toreros' ladder, posting a 7-4 mark, while Joel Gamerov is 7-3 in dual matches, including a 5-1 ledger at No. 4.
Despite a 2-4 record so far this spring, Holmgren and Gamerov are still ranked 59th in the latest ITA doubles poll, while Guus Koevermans and David Norfeldt are 11-1 playing primarily in the No. 3 position.
San Diego State maintains a slim 18-15 edge in head-to-head encounters against USD dating back to 1989, winning a 4-3 thriller on the Toreros' home courts last year.
After the Aztecs captured the doubles point, the teams split their six singles encounters, with Martinez providing the clinching point with a come-from behind victory in the sixth slot over Alexandros Araouzos, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, to help the Scarlet and Black win for just the second time in the last eight meetings between the crosstown adversaries. In addition, Gonzalez Almazan was a double winner in that match on the way to collecting Mountain West Player of the Week honors.
SDSU triumph that day was also its first at USD since 2010 and marked the highest-ranked opponent it defeated since knocking off No. 22 California at home on March 5, 2015. The Toreros entered the dual at No. 28 last season.
Following Saturday's clash, San Diego State will play three matches in the annual San Diego Spring Classic, March 22-24. Dates, times and opponents will be confirmed in the coming days.