Sunday, February 12
Winston-Salem, N.C.
1:00 P.M.
Wake Forest University
2
vs
5
#8 South Carolina
No. 9 Wake Forest Defeats Queens, Falls to No. 8 South Carolina
2/12/2023 8:42:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The Demon Deacons improved to 15-0 against in-state opponents since the beginning of last season.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After dropping a hard-fought 5-2 decision to No. 8 South Carolina, the ninth-ranked Wake Forest men's tennis team bounced back to sweep in-state foe Queens, 4-0, Sunday inside the Wake Forest Indoor Tennis Center.
With the victory over Queens, Wake Forest (11-2, 0-0 ACC) improved to 2-0 over the Royals this season and 15-0 over in-state opponents since the beginning of the 2022 campaign. Sunday's loss to the eighth-ranked Gamecocks marked only the sixth home loss for the Demon Deacons since the start of the 2016-17 season.
Against No. 8 South Carolina (8-0, 0-0 SEC), Wake Forest quickly fell behind as the Gamecocks took the doubles point behind victories in first and second doubles. South Carolina then picked up consecutive sweeps in sixth and fourth singles to take a 3-0 lead, before clinching the match with a 7-5, 6-4 win in second singles.
Despite South Carolina securing the victory, the two sides decided to play out the remainder of the contest. The Demon Deacons went on to earn wins in fifth and third singles as Matthew Thomson defeated Casey Hoole 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 and Luciano Tacchi defeated No. 67 Raphael Lambling 7-5, 7-5, leaving only first singles undecided.
No. 11 Toby Samuel knocked off Melios Efstathiou (6-3, 6-7 [7-9], 6-1) in a tight battle to end the contest between the Demon Deacons and the Gamecocks.
After an hour break, the Deacs returned to action to face Queens (0-7, 0-0 ASUN) for the second time this season. Wake Forest jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as it clinched the doubles point against the Royals behind wins in first and third doubles.
The Deacs then went on to earn sweeps in fifth, third and sixth singles en route to the 4-0 victory over Queens.
The Demon Deacons will now head to Chicago for the ITA National Indoor Championships. Seeding and additional information will be released in the coming days.
Match #1 - No. 8 South Carolina
How It Happened
1. Toby Samuel (SC) def. Melios Efstathiou (WFU) 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-1
2. Connor Thomson (SC) def. Filippo Moroni (WFU) 7-5, 6-4
3. Luciano Tacchi (WFU) def. Raphael Lambling (SC) 7-5, 7-5
4. James Story (SC) def. Jurabek Karimov (WFU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Matthew Thomson (WFU) def. Casey Hoole (SC) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
6. Jake Beasley (SC) def. Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles Results
1. Connor Thomson/Toby Samuel (SC) def. Juan Lopez de Azcona/Filippo Moroni (WFU) 6-3
2. Jake Beasley/James Story (SC) def. Luciano Tacchi/Jurabek Karimov (WFU) 7-5
3. Matthew Thomson/Melios Efstathiou (WFU) def. Casey Hoole/Raphael Lambling (SC) 6-3
Match #2 - Queens
How It Happened
1. Jurabek Karimov (WFU) vs. Edoardo Bottino (QUM) 7-6 (8-6), unfinished
2. Bozo Barun (WFU) vs. Edoardo Cecere (QUM) 7-5, 1-0, unfinished
3. Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) def. Win Steveker (QUM) 6-0, 6-3
4. Saud Alhogbani (WFU) vs. Laurenz Blickwede (QUM) 6-1, 5-2, unfinished
5. Vikas Deo (WFU) def. Samuele Pia (QUM) 6-0, 6-1
6. Ernesto Requena (WFU) def. Fillipo Ercole (QUM) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles Results
1. Matthew Thomson/Melios Efstathiou (WFU) def. Edoardo Bottino/Laurenz Blickwede (QUM) 7-6 (7-2)
2. Win Steveker/Edoardo Cecere (QUM) def. Luciano Tacchi/Saud Alhogbani (WFU) 6-3
3. Bozo Barun/Vikas Deo (WFU) def. Samuele Pia/Fillipo Ercole (QUM) 6-3
From Coach Bresky
"Congratulations to South Carolina - it was a tough match against an experienced team and we fell short. We had three match points in doubles and didn't clinch. We also had a shot in singles but overall, they played tough. It was good to bounce back in the evening, getting back in the win column. We're looking forward to the ITA National Indoor Championships this week." - Head coach Tony Bresky
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will now head to Chicago for the ITA National Indoor Championships. Seeding and additional information will be released in the coming days.
Follow the Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
With the victory over Queens, Wake Forest (11-2, 0-0 ACC) improved to 2-0 over the Royals this season and 15-0 over in-state opponents since the beginning of the 2022 campaign. Sunday's loss to the eighth-ranked Gamecocks marked only the sixth home loss for the Demon Deacons since the start of the 2016-17 season.
Against No. 8 South Carolina (8-0, 0-0 SEC), Wake Forest quickly fell behind as the Gamecocks took the doubles point behind victories in first and second doubles. South Carolina then picked up consecutive sweeps in sixth and fourth singles to take a 3-0 lead, before clinching the match with a 7-5, 6-4 win in second singles.
Despite South Carolina securing the victory, the two sides decided to play out the remainder of the contest. The Demon Deacons went on to earn wins in fifth and third singles as Matthew Thomson defeated Casey Hoole 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 and Luciano Tacchi defeated No. 67 Raphael Lambling 7-5, 7-5, leaving only first singles undecided.
No. 11 Toby Samuel knocked off Melios Efstathiou (6-3, 6-7 [7-9], 6-1) in a tight battle to end the contest between the Demon Deacons and the Gamecocks.
After an hour break, the Deacs returned to action to face Queens (0-7, 0-0 ASUN) for the second time this season. Wake Forest jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as it clinched the doubles point against the Royals behind wins in first and third doubles.
The Deacs then went on to earn sweeps in fifth, third and sixth singles en route to the 4-0 victory over Queens.
The Demon Deacons will now head to Chicago for the ITA National Indoor Championships. Seeding and additional information will be released in the coming days.
Match #1 - No. 8 South Carolina
How It Happened
- South Carolina took an early 1-0 lead in doubles as No. 3 Connor Thomson/Toby Samuel defeated Juan Lopez de Azcona/Filippo Moroni 6-3 in first doubles.
- Wake Forest quickly responded as Matthew Thomson/Melios Efstathiou defeated Casey Hoole/Raphael Lambling, 6-3.
- Thomson/Efstathiou are a stellar 7-2 this season in dual doubles matches.
- Of note, the pair are currently on a five-match win streak.
- Thomson/Efstathiou are a stellar 7-2 this season in dual doubles matches.
- After trailing 5-4, and facing set point, No. 30 Jake Beasley/James Story of South Carolina stormed back to win second doubles, 7-5, clinching the doubles point for the Gamecocks.
- South Carolina came out strong in singles as it claimed the opening set on five of the six courts.
- Tacchi was the only Deac to win the first set of his match.
- He claimed a 7-5 victory in third singles.
- Tacchi was the only Deac to win the first set of his match.
- The Gamecocks took a 2-0 lead as Beasley defeated Lopez de Azcona 6-2, 6-4 in sixth singles.
- Shortly after, South Carolina extended its lead to 3-0 behind a Story victory on court four.
- The Gamecocks then took a 4-0 lead and clinched the match with a win in second singles.
- Despite South Carolina securing the victory, the two teams decided to play out the remainder of the contest.
- Wake Forest picked up consecutive points as Thomson defeated Hoole 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 in fifth singles and Tacchi defeated Lambling 7-5, 7-5 in third singles, respectively.
- No. 11 Samuel knocked off Efstathiou in a three-set thriller to secure the 5-2 decision for the Gamecocks.
1. Toby Samuel (SC) def. Melios Efstathiou (WFU) 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-1
2. Connor Thomson (SC) def. Filippo Moroni (WFU) 7-5, 6-4
3. Luciano Tacchi (WFU) def. Raphael Lambling (SC) 7-5, 7-5
4. James Story (SC) def. Jurabek Karimov (WFU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Matthew Thomson (WFU) def. Casey Hoole (SC) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
6. Jake Beasley (SC) def. Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles Results
1. Connor Thomson/Toby Samuel (SC) def. Juan Lopez de Azcona/Filippo Moroni (WFU) 6-3
2. Jake Beasley/James Story (SC) def. Luciano Tacchi/Jurabek Karimov (WFU) 7-5
3. Matthew Thomson/Melios Efstathiou (WFU) def. Casey Hoole/Raphael Lambling (SC) 6-3
Match #2 - Queens
How It Happened
- Wake Forest presented a different trio of doubles pairs against Queens as head coach Tony Bresky placed Thomson/Efstathiou at first doubles, Tacchi/Saud Alhogbani at second doubles and Vikas Deo/Bozo Barun at third doubles.
- Deo/Barun notched the Deacs' first doubles win as they defeated Samuele Pia/Fillipo Ercole, 6-3 on court three.
- Queens evened the doubles ledger shortly after as Win Steveker/Edoardo Cecere defeated Tacchi/Alhogbani, 6-3.
- Sunday marked Tacchi/Alhogbani's second dual doubles match of the season.
- All eyes then turned to first doubles as Thomson/Efstathiou went into a tiebreaker with Edoardo Bottino/Laurenz Blickwede.
- Thomson/Efstathiou went on to notch the 7-6 (7-2) victory to secure the doubles point for the Deacs.
- Wake Forest has claimed the doubles point in all but three matches this season.
- Thomson/Efstathiou went on to notch the 7-6 (7-2) victory to secure the doubles point for the Deacs.
- In only his second-career dual singles match, Deo claimed a 6-0, 6-1 win in fifth singles to give Wake Forest a 2-0 lead.
- Lopez de Azcona then earned a 6-0, 6-3 decision in third singles, bringing the Deacs only one point away from the match win.
- Ernesto Requena defeated Fillipo Ercole of Queens 6-0, 6-1, marking the first clinch of his career.
- Wake Forest swept Queens, 4-0.
1. Jurabek Karimov (WFU) vs. Edoardo Bottino (QUM) 7-6 (8-6), unfinished
2. Bozo Barun (WFU) vs. Edoardo Cecere (QUM) 7-5, 1-0, unfinished
3. Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) def. Win Steveker (QUM) 6-0, 6-3
4. Saud Alhogbani (WFU) vs. Laurenz Blickwede (QUM) 6-1, 5-2, unfinished
5. Vikas Deo (WFU) def. Samuele Pia (QUM) 6-0, 6-1
6. Ernesto Requena (WFU) def. Fillipo Ercole (QUM) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles Results
1. Matthew Thomson/Melios Efstathiou (WFU) def. Edoardo Bottino/Laurenz Blickwede (QUM) 7-6 (7-2)
2. Win Steveker/Edoardo Cecere (QUM) def. Luciano Tacchi/Saud Alhogbani (WFU) 6-3
3. Bozo Barun/Vikas Deo (WFU) def. Samuele Pia/Fillipo Ercole (QUM) 6-3
From Coach Bresky
"Congratulations to South Carolina - it was a tough match against an experienced team and we fell short. We had three match points in doubles and didn't clinch. We also had a shot in singles but overall, they played tough. It was good to bounce back in the evening, getting back in the win column. We're looking forward to the ITA National Indoor Championships this week." - Head coach Tony Bresky
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will now head to Chicago for the ITA National Indoor Championships. Seeding and additional information will be released in the coming days.
Follow the Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
#1 Singles Match
123
Toby Samuel / 0 [SC]
666
371
#2 Singles Match
12
Connor Thomson / 0 [SC]
76
54
#3 Singles Match
12
Raphael Lambling / 0 [SC]
55
77
#4 Singles Match
12
James Story / 0 [SC]
66
43
#5 Singles Match
123
Casey Hoole / 0 [SC]
722
566
#6 Singles Match
12
Jake Beasley / 0 [SC]
66
24
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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