SAN DIEGO – Following a loss to No. 22-ranked Arizona State on Friday, the San Diego State men's tennis team hosted Tulane on the second day of the San Diego Spring Invitational at the Aztec Tennis Center on Saturday. The Aztecs won the doubles point and on the bottom three singles courts in a 4-2 victory.
The Scarlet and Black improve to 9-3 while the Green Wave drops to 4-11.
"We had a quality win against a very good and well coached Tulane team," said Aztecs head coach Gene Carswell after the victory. "I like the direction we're headed. We'll need more of the same purposeful play to finish off the weekend the way we'd like against a strong Texas Tech squad."
In doubles, Chikaya Sato and Bora Sengul (0-1) faced off against Benji Jacobson and Fynn Kuenkler on court No. 2. The Aztecs were defeated 6-4. Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice played with Johannes Seeman (1-0) for the first time on the second court and battled Luka Petrovic and Sam Scherer. The Aztecs won 6-2 to even the doubles score at one. Robin Parts played with Alexander Mandma (7-0) on the top court. Facing Alex Bancila and Luc Hoejimans, the set went to a tiebreaker, but the Aztecs came through 7-6 (8-6) to take the doubles point.
In singles, Mandma (7-2) played Rafael de Alba on the bottom court. After a 6-4 first set win, Mandma coasted to a 6-2 victory in the second set.
Playing on the fifth court, Parts (7-0) faced Scherer. He shut out his opponent 6-0 in the first set and won 6-2 in the second to preserve his perfect record.
Gonzalez Fitzmaurice (7-2) went up against Kuenkler on court No. 4. He emerged victorious from the first set tiebreaker 7-6 (7-4) and won the second set 6-4 to clinch an Aztec victory.
On the top court, Seeman (3-6) faced Bancila. He fell 6-2 in the first set before taking the second 6-1. Seeman ran out of steam in the deciding set, falling 7-5.
Chikaya Sato (4-6) battled Hoejimans on the third court. He fell in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).
Facing Petrovic on the second court, Sengul (3-4) was bested in the first set 6-3. After winning the second in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-5), the deciding set was even at two when the Aztecs clinched a win.
San Diego State will wrap up the San Diego Spring Invitational when it faces Texas Tech on Sunday at 9 a.m. PT at the Aztec Tennis Center.
San Diego State 4, Tulane 2
Aztec Tennis Center – San Diego, Calif.
March 16, 2024
Singles Competition
1. Alex Bancila (TU) def. Johannes Seeman (SDSU) 6-2, 1-6, 7-5
2. Bora Sengul (SDSU) vs. Luka Petrovic (TU) 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 2-2
3. Luc Hoejimans (TU) def. Chikaya Sato (SDSU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)
4. Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice (SDSU) def. Fynn Kuenkler (TU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
5. Robin Parts (SDSU) def. Sam Scherer (TU) 6-0, 6-2
6. Alexander Mandma (SDSU) def. Rafael de Alba (TU) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles Competition
1. Robin Parts/Alexander Mandma (SDSU) def. Alex Bancila/Luc Hoejimans (TU) 7-6 (8-6)
2. Johannes Seeman/Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice (SDSU) def. Luka Petrovic/Sam Scherer (SDSU) 6-2
3. Benji Jacobson/Fynn Kuenkler (TU) def. Chikaya Sato/Bora Sengul (SDSU) 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (5,6,1,3,4)