Sunday, April 2
Chapel Hill, NC
1:00 P.M.
Wake Forest University
3
at
4
#13 North Carolina
Photo by: Anthony Sorbellini
No. 16 Wake Forest Drops 4-3 Decision to No. 13 North Carolina
4/2/2023 4:33:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The Demon Deacons will return home Friday to face No. 7 Virginia at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The 16th-ranked Wake Forest men's tennis team fell to No. 13 North Carolina, 4-3, Sunday at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Sunday's loss marked only the third time since 2015 that the Demon Deacons (21-8, 5-3 ACC) have fallen to the Tar Heels and the first time since 2021. Despite the defeat, Wake Forest owns a 7-2 record against North Carolina in the last nine meetings between the two sides.
Doubles play was tightly contested early, before the Tar Heels (15-6, 7-2 ACC) went on to notch the point behind victories in the first and third slots. North Carolina's momentum from doubles carried over into singles action as it won the opening set on 4/6 courts. The Demon Deacons stormed back in singles play, earning victories in first, fifth and sixth singles, before ultimately falling 4-3.
Senior No. 11 Melios Efstathiou continued his stellar 2023 campaign Sunday as the Limassol, Cyprus native notched his second-consecutive top-50 victory with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) win in first singles. Efstathiou owns a 16-3 record in dual singles matches this season, including a 5-1 mark over nationally-ranked foes.
Despite Sunday's defeat, the Demon Deacons still sit fifth in the ACC and only three matches out of first with four matches remaining.
How It Happened
1. #11 Melios Efstathiou (WFU) def. #47 Brian Cernoch (NC) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
2. #37 Ryan Seggerman (NC) def. Filippo Moroni (WFU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Will Jansen (NC) def. Matthew Thomson (WFU) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
4. #100 Karl Poling (NC) def. #103 Jurabek Karimov (WFU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
5. Luciano Tacchi (WFU) def. Logan Zapp (NC) 6-1, 6-0
6. Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) def. Benjamin Kittay (NC) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
Doubles Results
1. #19 Casey Kania/Ryan Seggerman (NC) def. Luciano Tacchi/Jurabek Karimov (WFU) 7-6 (7-4)
2. Filippo Moroni/Matthew Thomson (WFU) def. #32 Benjamin Kittay/Brian Cernoch (NC) 6-3
3. Will Jansen/Karl Poling (NC) def. Melios Efstathiou/Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) 6-3
From Coach Bresky
"Today was a tough day. It was a super close match and the guys battled hard. We served for the doubles and we served for the team match. You can't ask for more than that. This was really good motivation. We're excited to compete next weekend with two big matches coming up. We're really close to a breakthrough." - Head coach Tony Bresky
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will return home to face No. 7 Virginia (Friday, April 7) and No. 69 Virginia Tech (Sunday, April 9) next weekend at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.
Follow the Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Sunday's loss marked only the third time since 2015 that the Demon Deacons (21-8, 5-3 ACC) have fallen to the Tar Heels and the first time since 2021. Despite the defeat, Wake Forest owns a 7-2 record against North Carolina in the last nine meetings between the two sides.
Doubles play was tightly contested early, before the Tar Heels (15-6, 7-2 ACC) went on to notch the point behind victories in the first and third slots. North Carolina's momentum from doubles carried over into singles action as it won the opening set on 4/6 courts. The Demon Deacons stormed back in singles play, earning victories in first, fifth and sixth singles, before ultimately falling 4-3.
Senior No. 11 Melios Efstathiou continued his stellar 2023 campaign Sunday as the Limassol, Cyprus native notched his second-consecutive top-50 victory with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) win in first singles. Efstathiou owns a 16-3 record in dual singles matches this season, including a 5-1 mark over nationally-ranked foes.
Despite Sunday's defeat, the Demon Deacons still sit fifth in the ACC and only three matches out of first with four matches remaining.
How It Happened
- Head coach Tony Bresky adjusted the doubles lineup as Filippo Moroni paired with Matthew Thomson and Melios Efstathiou teamed up with Juan Lopez de Azcona.
- 1) Jurabek Karimov/Luciano Tacchi
- 2) Filippo Moroni/Matthew Thomson
- 3) Melios Efstathiou/Juan Lopez de Azcona
- Sunday marked the first time Moroni/Thomson and Efstathiou/Lopez de Azcona have paired up in duo's action this season.
- The Demon Deacons got off to a solid start, taking a 2-0 lead in first doubles, while being tied 1-1 in second and third doubles.
- Through six games, the Deacs led in first doubles (4-2), while the Tar Heels led in third doubles (4-2).
- Moroni/Thomson were tied in second doubles, 3-3.
- North Carolina took a 1-0 lead in doubles play as Will Jansen/Karl Poling defeated Efstathiou/Lopez de Azcona, 6-3.
- The Deacs quickly responded seconds later as Moroni/Thomson knocked off No. 32 Benjamin Kittay/Brian Cernoch, 6-3, in second doubles.
- All eyes turned to first doubles as Karimov and Tacchi found themselves in a close 5-5 battle with No. 19 Casey Kania/Ryan Seggerman.
- Karimov/Tacchi eventually fell to No. 19 Kania/Seggerman, 7-6 (7-4).
- Wake Forest trailed 1-0 heading into singles play.
- North Carolina got off to an excellent start in singles, winning the opening set on 4/6 courts.
- Efstathiou took the first set against No. 47 Cernoch in first singles, while Tacchi took set one against Logan Zapp in fifth singles.
- Tacchi became the first Deac to notch a singles victory as he defeated Zapp 6-1, 6-0 on court five.
- North Carolina quickly responded as No. 37 Seggerman beat Moroni 6-2, 6-4 in second singles.
- No. 11 Efstathiou then took down No. 47 Cernoch 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) to even the ledger at two.
- North Carolina regained the lead minutes later as No. 100 Poling defeated No. 103 Karimov 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.
- The Tar Heels held a 3-2 lead with just third and sixth singles remaining.
- Thomson led 4-6, 6-2, 5-4 on court three.
- Lopez de Azcona led 2-6, 6-3, 4-2 on court six.
- The Tar Heels held a 3-2 lead with just third and sixth singles remaining.
- North Carolina went on to clinch as Jansen edged Thomson 6-4, 2-6, 7-5.
- The Demon Deacons and the Tar Heels chose to play out sixth singles.
- Lopez de Azcona notched a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Kittay in sixth singles to end the contest.
- North Carolina defeated Wake Forest, 4-3.
1. #11 Melios Efstathiou (WFU) def. #47 Brian Cernoch (NC) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
2. #37 Ryan Seggerman (NC) def. Filippo Moroni (WFU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Will Jansen (NC) def. Matthew Thomson (WFU) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
4. #100 Karl Poling (NC) def. #103 Jurabek Karimov (WFU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
5. Luciano Tacchi (WFU) def. Logan Zapp (NC) 6-1, 6-0
6. Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) def. Benjamin Kittay (NC) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
Doubles Results
1. #19 Casey Kania/Ryan Seggerman (NC) def. Luciano Tacchi/Jurabek Karimov (WFU) 7-6 (7-4)
2. Filippo Moroni/Matthew Thomson (WFU) def. #32 Benjamin Kittay/Brian Cernoch (NC) 6-3
3. Will Jansen/Karl Poling (NC) def. Melios Efstathiou/Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) 6-3
From Coach Bresky
"Today was a tough day. It was a super close match and the guys battled hard. We served for the doubles and we served for the team match. You can't ask for more than that. This was really good motivation. We're excited to compete next weekend with two big matches coming up. We're really close to a breakthrough." - Head coach Tony Bresky
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will return home to face No. 7 Virginia (Friday, April 7) and No. 69 Virginia Tech (Sunday, April 9) next weekend at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.
Follow the Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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