Tuesday, February 28
Winston-Salem, N.C.
2:30 P.M.
Wake Forest University
4
vs
3
#27 VCU
No. 25 Wake Forest Claims Consecutive Victories Over No. 27 VCU, Belmont Abbey
2/28/2023 10:30:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The Demon Deacons earned their third top-30 win of the 2023 campaign, while improving to a stellar 13-2 at home this season.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Following a nine-day break and playing outdoors for the first time this season, the 25th-ranked Wake Forest men's tennis team earned back-to-back wins over No. 27 VCU (4-3) and in-state foe Belmont Abbey (7-0) inside the Wake Forest Tennis Complex.
With the victory over No. 27 VCU, Wake Forest earned its third top-30 win of the season. Additionally, the Demon Deacons improved to a stellar 16-0 against in-state opponents over the past two seasons with the win over Belmont Abbey.
Against the Rams (11-2, 0-0 A10), Wake Forest quickly fell behind as VCU took the doubles point with wins in first and third doubles.
The Rams then took a 2-0 lead with a victory in second singles before the Demon Deacons stormed back to even the ledger with wins on courts one and four, respectively. VCU then extended its lead to 3-2, but Wake Forest responded, taking sixth and third singles to clinch the match.
Less than an hour later, the Deacs squared off with in-state opponent Belmont Abbey and quickly earned the doubles point behind wins in second and third doubles.
Wake Forest went on to sweep the Crusaders, going a perfect 6-of-6 in singles action. Of note, freshman Saud Alhogbani improved to a perfect 3-0 with his 7-5, 6-2 win in fourth singles against Belmont Abbey.
The Demon Deacons will open ACC play Friday when they travel to Atlanta to face No. 69 Georgia Tech.
Match #1 - No. 27 VCU
How It Happened
Singles Results
1. Melios Efstathiou (WFU) def. Matisse Bobichon (VCU) 6-4, 6-2
2. Charles Bertimon (VCU) def. Filippo Moroni (WFU) 6-1, 6-3
3. Luciano Tacchi (WFU) def. Maxence Bertimon (VCU) 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
4. Jurabek Karimov (WFU) def. Rayane Stable (VCU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Romain Gales (VCU) def. Matthew Thomson (WFU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) def. Joaquim Almeida (VCU) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles Results
1. Charles Bertimon/Maxence Bertimon (VCU) def. Jurabek Karimov/Luciano Tacchi (WFU) 6-2
2. Juan Lopez de Azcona/Filippo Moroni (WFU) def. Rayane Stable/Matisse Bobichon (VCU) 6-3
3. Joaquim Almeida/Romain Gales (VCU) def. Matthew Thomson/Melios Efstathiou (WFU) 6-3
Match #2 - Belmont Abbey
How It Happened
Singles Results
1. Filippo Moroni (WFU) def. Xaveam Van Wijk (BAC) 6-1, 6-2
2. Bozo Barun (WFU) def. Nelson Stafford (BAC) 6-1, 6-2
3. Matthew Thomson (WFU) def. Nicholas Cary (BAC) 6-2, 6-2
4. Saud Alhogbani (WFU) def. Alex Turner (BAC) 7-5, 6-2
5. Vikas Deo (WFU) def. Kai Lloveras (BAC) 6-4, 7-6 (7-0)
6. Ernesto Requena (WFU) def. Jai Rowe (BAC) 7-6 (7-1), 6-4
Doubles Results
1. Filippo Moroni/Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) vs. Xaveam Van Wijk/Alex Turner (BAC) 5-3, unfinished
2. Melios Efstathiou/Matthew Thomson (WFU) def. Nelson Stafford/Nicholas Cary (BAC) 6-2
3. Bozo Barun/Saud Alhogbani (WFU) def. Jai Rowe/Gabriel Martin (BAC) 6-2
From Coach Bresky
"It was great to get two wins today. It's always tricky transitioning to the outdoors when we've been playing indoors all season. The first outdoor match is always a challenge, especially when you're facing a top-25 opponent, but I like how the guys competed. We didn't do well in doubles but that was expected with the outdoor transition. Overall, today was great because it will help us get prepared for conference action on Friday." - Head coach Tony Bresky
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will open ACC play Friday when they travel to Atlanta to face No. 69 Georgia Tech.
Follow the Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
With the victory over No. 27 VCU, Wake Forest earned its third top-30 win of the season. Additionally, the Demon Deacons improved to a stellar 16-0 against in-state opponents over the past two seasons with the win over Belmont Abbey.
Against the Rams (11-2, 0-0 A10), Wake Forest quickly fell behind as VCU took the doubles point with wins in first and third doubles.
The Rams then took a 2-0 lead with a victory in second singles before the Demon Deacons stormed back to even the ledger with wins on courts one and four, respectively. VCU then extended its lead to 3-2, but Wake Forest responded, taking sixth and third singles to clinch the match.
Less than an hour later, the Deacs squared off with in-state opponent Belmont Abbey and quickly earned the doubles point behind wins in second and third doubles.
Wake Forest went on to sweep the Crusaders, going a perfect 6-of-6 in singles action. Of note, freshman Saud Alhogbani improved to a perfect 3-0 with his 7-5, 6-2 win in fourth singles against Belmont Abbey.
The Demon Deacons will open ACC play Friday when they travel to Atlanta to face No. 69 Georgia Tech.
Match #1 - No. 27 VCU
How It Happened
- VCU came out strong in doubles play as the Rams led in both first and third doubles through three games.
- For only the third time this season, Matthew Thomson/Melios Efstathiou fell in doubles action as the duo dropped a 6-3 decision in third doubles.
- No. 40 Juan Lopez de Azcona/Filippo Moroni notched a 6-3 win in second doubles, making first doubles the deciding match.
- Charles Bertimon/Maxence Bertimon of VCU defeated Jurabek Karimov/Luciano Tacchi 6-2, securing the doubles point for the Rams.
- VCU extended its lead to 2-0 as Bertimon defeated Moroni 6-1, 6-3 in second singles.
- The Deacs quickly bounced back, earning consecutive victories from Karimov and Efstathiou.
- Karimov earned a 6-3, 6-3 decision on court four to pull the Deacs within one.
- Efstathiou then knocked off No. 62 Bobichon 6-4, 6-2 to even the ledger.
- Efstathiou is 9-2 in duals singles action this season.
- VCU took fifth singles as Gales defeated Thomson 6-2, 6-4, giving the Rams a 3-2 lead with two courts still in play.
- Lopez de Azcona then took consecutive 6-4 sets in sixth singles to tie the contest, 3-3.
- All eyes then turned to court two as Tacchi and Bertimon found themselves in a three-set thriller.
- Despite trailing 4-3 in the second set, Tacchi stormed back to earn a 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 decision to clinch the victory for Wake Forest.
Singles Results
1. Melios Efstathiou (WFU) def. Matisse Bobichon (VCU) 6-4, 6-2
2. Charles Bertimon (VCU) def. Filippo Moroni (WFU) 6-1, 6-3
3. Luciano Tacchi (WFU) def. Maxence Bertimon (VCU) 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
4. Jurabek Karimov (WFU) def. Rayane Stable (VCU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Romain Gales (VCU) def. Matthew Thomson (WFU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) def. Joaquim Almeida (VCU) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles Results
1. Charles Bertimon/Maxence Bertimon (VCU) def. Jurabek Karimov/Luciano Tacchi (WFU) 6-2
2. Juan Lopez de Azcona/Filippo Moroni (WFU) def. Rayane Stable/Matisse Bobichon (VCU) 6-3
3. Joaquim Almeida/Romain Gales (VCU) def. Matthew Thomson/Melios Efstathiou (WFU) 6-3
Match #2 - Belmont Abbey
How It Happened
- Wake Forest came out aggressive in doubles play, taking the lead on all three courts through seven games.
- Bozo Barun and Saud Alhogbani became the first pair to notch a victory as they defeated Jai Rowe/Gabriel Martin, 6-2, in third doubles.
- Matthew Thomson/Melios Efstathiou then clinched the doubles point for Wake Forest as they notched a 6-2 victory in second doubles.
- Filippo Moroni/Juan Lopez de Azcona were leading 5-3 in first doubles before the Demon Deacons clinched the doubles point.
- Wake Forest led on 5-of-6 courts early in singles play.
- Thomson became the first Deac to notch a singles victory as he earned a 6-2, 6-2 win in third singles.
- Barun then gave the Deacs a 3-0 lead as he logged a 6-1, 6-2 victory in second singles.
- Moroni clinched the match with a 6-1, 6-2 win in first singles.
- After clinching the match, Wake Forest earned three-consecutive wins in singles.
- Alhogbani, Ernesto Requena and Vikas Deo each earned singles victories to secure the 7-0 victory.
Singles Results
1. Filippo Moroni (WFU) def. Xaveam Van Wijk (BAC) 6-1, 6-2
2. Bozo Barun (WFU) def. Nelson Stafford (BAC) 6-1, 6-2
3. Matthew Thomson (WFU) def. Nicholas Cary (BAC) 6-2, 6-2
4. Saud Alhogbani (WFU) def. Alex Turner (BAC) 7-5, 6-2
5. Vikas Deo (WFU) def. Kai Lloveras (BAC) 6-4, 7-6 (7-0)
6. Ernesto Requena (WFU) def. Jai Rowe (BAC) 7-6 (7-1), 6-4
Doubles Results
1. Filippo Moroni/Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) vs. Xaveam Van Wijk/Alex Turner (BAC) 5-3, unfinished
2. Melios Efstathiou/Matthew Thomson (WFU) def. Nelson Stafford/Nicholas Cary (BAC) 6-2
3. Bozo Barun/Saud Alhogbani (WFU) def. Jai Rowe/Gabriel Martin (BAC) 6-2
From Coach Bresky
"It was great to get two wins today. It's always tricky transitioning to the outdoors when we've been playing indoors all season. The first outdoor match is always a challenge, especially when you're facing a top-25 opponent, but I like how the guys competed. We didn't do well in doubles but that was expected with the outdoor transition. Overall, today was great because it will help us get prepared for conference action on Friday." - Head coach Tony Bresky
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will open ACC play Friday when they travel to Atlanta to face No. 69 Georgia Tech.
Follow the Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
#1 Singles Match
12
Matisse Bobichon / 0 [VCUM]
42
66
#2 Singles Match
12
Charles Bertimon / 0 [VCUM]
66
13
#3 Singles Match
123
Maxence Bertimon / 0 [VCUM]
745
567
#4 Singles Match
12
Rayane Stable / 0 [VCUM]
33
66
#5 Singles Match
12
Romain Gales / 0 [VCUM]
66
24
#6 Singles Match
12
Joaquim Almeida / 0 [VCUM]
44
66
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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