SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State men's tennis team returns to action on Friday when it squares off against Washington at Aztec Tennis Center. First serve is set for 2 p.m. PT.
SDSU (3-6) snapped a four-match losing streak with a thrilling 4-3 triumph at Loyola Marymount on March 21, overcoming a 3-1 deficit on the team scoreboard with victories in the final three singles matches.
Against the Lions, Ignacio Martinez provided the clinching point in the No. 2 position after defeating Daniel Moreno, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(6). The Aztec senior climbed out of a 5-2 hole in the third set to force the tiebreaker, where he saved two match points before finally prevailing.
Johannes Seeman and Victor Castro also contributed to SDSU's comeback effort after emerging triumphant in the No. 1 and No. 3 spots, respectively.
With his victory, Seeman has won four straight, improving his singles record to a team-best 6-2, while five other players on the Aztecs' ladder—Castro, Martinez, Rafael Gonzalez Almazan, Judson Blair and Roni Rikkonen have pocketed two wins each so far this spring.
In addition, Martinez has captured his last two doubles matches playing alongside Blair in the No. 2 position, while Seeman and Castro have won two of their last three at the top of the rotation.
Washington (8-7) is in the midst of a four-match swing through southern California, opening with a 6-1 loss at Pepperdine on Monday before rebounding with a narrow 4-3 victory at UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday. Following their clash with the Aztecs, the Huskies jump back into Pac-12 play with matches at USC (April 2) and UCLA (April 4).
Clement Chidekh has been UW's biggest winner thus far in singles competition, logging a 13-2 overall record primarily at the No. 1 position, while Han-Chih Lin has compiled a 10-5 mark, seeing most of his action at No. 4. In addition, Jack Davis (9-6) and Evan Lumsden (9-5) are approaching the double-digit plateau for victories, playing mainly in the second and third spots, respectively.
Chidekh has combined with Thibault Cancel for a 10-4 record at No. 2 doubles, while Lumsden and Lin are 9-4 in the second position so far this spring.
SDSU is 4-9 against the Huskies since 1989, including a 6-1 loss in Seattle on Feb. 23, 2019. The Aztecs also dropped a 5-2 decision to UW at home in the spring of 2018, as the Scarlet and Black had five sets decided by a tiebreaker in singles but were only able to record a pair of wins in the fifth and sixth spots.
San Diego State last defeated Washington in the first round of the 2000 NCAA Championships in Malibu, Calif., where it claimed a 4-3 decision. However, the Huskies have won six straight in the series, including a 4-3 victory in the second round of the 2003 NCAA tourney in San Diego.
Following Friday's encounter, the Aztecs will hit the road next week for a pair of matches in the Beehive State, squaring off against Utah on Tuesday, March 30, before battling Mountain West rival Utah State on Thursday, April 1.