Michigan
Alabama
U-M Sweeps Alabama to Open Dual-Match Campaign
1/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Jan. 21, 2017
» Alex Knight, Myles Schalet and Davis Crocker earned straight-set wins in singles play; Crocker's 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 6 clinched the match vs. the Crimson Tide.
» The match was played in front of 1,089 fans at the brand-new USTA campus in Orlando and was streamed on WatchESPN.
Site: Orlando, Fla. (USTA National Campus)
Event: College MatchDay
Score: #21 Michigan 4, Alabama 0
Records: U-M (1-0), Alabama (2-1)
Attendance: 1,089
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 28 -- at Oklahoma - ITA Kick-Off (Norman, Okla.), 2 p.m. CST
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The No. 21-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team opened the 2017 dual-match season with a 4-0 win over Alabama Saturday night (Jan. 21) in front of 1,089 fans at the brand-new United States Tennis Association (USTA) campus.
The Wolverines took the doubles point from the Crimson Tide after wins at No. 2 and No. 3. Juniors Runhao Hua and Alex Knight made quick work of Alabama's Edson Ortiz and Alexey Nesterov, winning 6-1 at No. 2. The other two matches were tied at 4-all at one point. Sophomore Myles Schalet and senior Tyler Gardiner broke the Crimson Tide to build a 5-4 lead, and Schalet served out for the 6-4 win. Seniors Jathan Malik and Kevin Wong abandoned their match at 5-all at No. 1.
Michigan led after the first set in five of six singles matches and earned three straight-set wins to notch its first win of the season. Knight finished first, defeating Ortiz, 6-2, 6-2. Schalet was next, earning a 6-1, 6-2 win over Nesterov at No. 3 singles. Crocker's win was the clincher, as his 6-2, 6-4 win over Langford Hills gave the Maize and Blue the fourth point. The final three matches were abandoned after the team win was secured.
The Wolverines are back in action next weekend at the ITA Kick-Off at Oklahoma. U-M starts the event against the Sooners on Saturday (Jan. 28) with first serve set for 2 p.m. CST.
Following are match-by-match results
Doubles
No. 1 -- No. 6 Jathan Malik/Kevin Wong (U-M) vs. Mazen Osama/Spencer Richey (Alabama), 5-5 (abandoned)
No. 2 -- Runhao Hua/Alex Knight (U-M) d. Edson Ortiz/Alexey Nesterov (Alabama), 6-1
No. 3 -- Myles Schalet/Tyler Gardiner (U-M) d. Thibault Cancel/Zhe Zhou (Alabama), 6-4
Singles
No. 1 -- Jathan Malik (U-M) vs. Mazen Osama (Alabama), 3-6, 5-5 (abandoned)
No. 2 -- No. 50 Kevin Wong (U-M) vs. Thibault Cancel (Alabama), 7-6 (4), 1-1 (abandoned)
No. 3 -- Myles Schalet (U-M) d. Alexey Nesterov (Alabama), 6-1, 6-2
No. 4 -- Runhao Hua (U-M) vs. Spencer Richey (Alabama), 6-1, 3-4 (abandoned)
No. 5 -- Alex Knight (U-M) d. Edson Ortiz (Alabama), 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 -- Davis Crocker (U-M) d. Langford Hills (Alabama), 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles 2-3, Singles 5-3-6
Communications Contact: Sarah VanMetre
