Saturday, May 18
Stillwater, OK
2:30 p.m.
Wake Forest University
2
vs
4
#3 [2] Texas
Demon Deacons Historic 2024 Campaign Ends in Final Four
5/18/2024 8:26:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The Deacs reached the national semifinals for the first time since 2019.
STILLWATER, Okla. – One of the best seasons in program history came to an end Saturday evening as the No. 6-seeded Wake Forest men's tennis team dropped a 4-2 decision to No. 2 seed Texas at the Greenwood Tennis Center in Stillwater, Okla.
The Demon Deacons (31-7, 10-2 ACC) reached the national semifinals for the third time in program history after a memorable NCAA Tournament run that featured wins over three top-25 opponents, including defending back-to-back national champion, Virginia.
NCAA Final Four Appearances
2018, 2019, 2024
Saturday, the Deacs secured the doubles point for the fifth-consecutive match to take an early 1-0 lead. Texas then battled back, taking a 3-1 advantage, before freshman Luca Pow narrowed the Deacs' deficit to 3-2.
The Longhorns then clinched the victory with a win in third singles to reach the national championship match.
Of note, Pow compiled a 25-2 dual singles record this year, including 19-consecutive wins to close the season.
How It Happened
Singles Results
1. #2 Eliot Spizzirri (TEX) def. #25 Filippo Moroni (WAKE) 6-0 6-3
2. #5 Micah Braswell (TEX) def. #79 DK Suresh Ekambaram (WAKE) 6-2 6-4
3. #40 Gilles-Arnaud Bailly (TEX) def. Matthew Thomson (WAKE) 6-3 7-5
4. #90 Pierre-Yves Bailly (TEX) def. #124 Luciano Tacchi (WAKE) 6-2 7-6 (7-4)
5. Luca Pow (WAKE) def. Cleeve Harper (TEX) 6-4 7-6 (7-4)
6. Lucas Brown (TEX) vs. Holden Koons (WAKE) match was unfinished 4-6 4-5
Doubles Results
1. #26 Eliot Spizzirri and Siem Woldeab (TEX) def. #2 Holden Koons and DK Suresh Ekambaram (WAKE) 6-2
2. Filippo Moroni and Matthew Thomson (WAKE) def. Micah Braswell and Eshan Talluri (TEX) 6-4
3. Luca Pow and Luciano Tacchi (WAKE) def. Lucas Brown and Cleeve Harper (TEX) 6-4
From Coach Bresky
"Congratulations to Texas. They have a great, experienced team and they outplayed us today. It was a very close match and we were close to turning it around there. Holden (Koons) had match point on court six, which would've made it 4-3. Texas is good at the top of its lineup and showed it today. I think the turning point was (Luciano) Tacchi serving for the second set. We feel confident if he gets to a third set, we probably pull it out with the way he's been playing. Only one team can win it all. Good luck to Texas in the final. We're disappointed, but proud of the fight we put up.
Overall, this was a great season. It was super enjoyable, and that's a testament to everyone involved. I want to thank our staff for all of the hard work they put in to get us here. This was an amazing, super tight group. Everyone was on the same page and there was a lot of love within the program. There's a lot of positives to take away from this season. I'm excited about next year with our returning group." - Head coach Tony Bresky
2024 Season Highlights
Follow the Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Demon Deacons (31-7, 10-2 ACC) reached the national semifinals for the third time in program history after a memorable NCAA Tournament run that featured wins over three top-25 opponents, including defending back-to-back national champion, Virginia.
NCAA Final Four Appearances
2018, 2019, 2024
Saturday, the Deacs secured the doubles point for the fifth-consecutive match to take an early 1-0 lead. Texas then battled back, taking a 3-1 advantage, before freshman Luca Pow narrowed the Deacs' deficit to 3-2.
The Longhorns then clinched the victory with a win in third singles to reach the national championship match.
Of note, Pow compiled a 25-2 dual singles record this year, including 19-consecutive wins to close the season.
How It Happened
- Doubles play started tightly contested as both sides went up a break on one respective court.
- Second doubles remained on serve.
- Texas struck first, taking court one (6-2).
- The Demon Deacons quickly responded with a win in third doubles, leaving court two as the deciding slot.
- After going up a break, Filippo Moroni/Matthew Thomson went on to earn a 6-4 win over Micah Braswell/Eshan Talluri.
- Wake Forest led, 1-0, entering singles play.
- The Longhorns opened singles, taking the opening set on four courts.
- Luca Pow and Holden Koons won the first set in fifth and sixth singles, respectively.
- Texas took a 2-1 lead behind wins on courts one and two.
- After dropping his opening set, No. 124 Luciano Tacchi battled back but ultimately dropped a 2-6, 6-7 (4-7) decision to No. 90 Pierre-Yves Bailly.
- Luca Pow earned his 19th-consecutive dual singles victory, downing Cleeve Harper, 6-4 7-6 (7-4).
- The Demon Deacons faced a 3-2 deficit with three courts still in play.
- The Longhorns then clinched the match with a win in third singles to reach the national championship match.
- Wake Forest fell, 4-2, to end the 2024 campaign.
Singles Results
1. #2 Eliot Spizzirri (TEX) def. #25 Filippo Moroni (WAKE) 6-0 6-3
2. #5 Micah Braswell (TEX) def. #79 DK Suresh Ekambaram (WAKE) 6-2 6-4
3. #40 Gilles-Arnaud Bailly (TEX) def. Matthew Thomson (WAKE) 6-3 7-5
4. #90 Pierre-Yves Bailly (TEX) def. #124 Luciano Tacchi (WAKE) 6-2 7-6 (7-4)
5. Luca Pow (WAKE) def. Cleeve Harper (TEX) 6-4 7-6 (7-4)
6. Lucas Brown (TEX) vs. Holden Koons (WAKE) match was unfinished 4-6 4-5
Doubles Results
1. #26 Eliot Spizzirri and Siem Woldeab (TEX) def. #2 Holden Koons and DK Suresh Ekambaram (WAKE) 6-2
2. Filippo Moroni and Matthew Thomson (WAKE) def. Micah Braswell and Eshan Talluri (TEX) 6-4
3. Luca Pow and Luciano Tacchi (WAKE) def. Lucas Brown and Cleeve Harper (TEX) 6-4
From Coach Bresky
"Congratulations to Texas. They have a great, experienced team and they outplayed us today. It was a very close match and we were close to turning it around there. Holden (Koons) had match point on court six, which would've made it 4-3. Texas is good at the top of its lineup and showed it today. I think the turning point was (Luciano) Tacchi serving for the second set. We feel confident if he gets to a third set, we probably pull it out with the way he's been playing. Only one team can win it all. Good luck to Texas in the final. We're disappointed, but proud of the fight we put up.
Overall, this was a great season. It was super enjoyable, and that's a testament to everyone involved. I want to thank our staff for all of the hard work they put in to get us here. This was an amazing, super tight group. Everyone was on the same page and there was a lot of love within the program. There's a lot of positives to take away from this season. I'm excited about next year with our returning group." - Head coach Tony Bresky
2024 Season Highlights
- With a berth to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship on the line, Wake Forest earned a decisive 4-1 victory over Illinois at the Chewning Tennis Center in Chapel Hill.
- The Deacs navigated arguably one of the toughest regionals en route to their third-consecutive trip to the annual tournament, as the North Carolina Regional consisted of 25 percent of the teams (No. 16 North Carolina, No. 20 Florida and Illinois) that reached last season's indoor championship.
- Against No. 9 Columbia, the Deacs opened doubles play in emphatic fashion, taking commanding leads on all three courts, before clinching the point behind wins in the first and third slots, respectively.
- The Demon Deacons carried their momentum into singles action, winning the opening set on four of the six singles courts.
- Highlighted by Matthew Thomson's straight-set (6-1, 6-4) win over then-No. 106 Ishaan Ravinchander, Wake Forest went an impressive 4-2 in singles play to secure the 5-2 victory over the Lions.
- In a matchup between two top-10 foes, No. 9 Wake Forest earned a 5-2 victory over No. 4 South Carolina at the Carolina Indoor Tennis Center in Columbia, S.C.
- The win marked the Demon Deacons' first victory over a top-five opponent since April 9, 2021. Additionally, the result marked the Deacs' second top-10 win in their past three matches.
- The win also marked Wake Forest's first over the Gamecocks since the 2021 campaign.
- The win marked the Demon Deacons' first victory over a top-five opponent since April 9, 2021. Additionally, the result marked the Deacs' second top-10 win in their past three matches.
- Wake Forest defeated Michigan, before downing Arizona to reach the national indoor semifinals.
- The win over No. 13 Michigan marked the Demon Deacons' fourth victory over a top-20 opponent to that point.
- The Deacs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after securing the doubles point with wins in the second and third slots.
- Leading 1-0 after doubles play, the Demon Deacons carried their momentum into singles, taking three straight-set wins in slots two, four and six, respectively.
- With the Demon Deacons' victory over No. 14 Arizona, they advanced to the semifinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship for the first time since 2019.
- The win over No. 13 Michigan marked the Demon Deacons' fourth victory over a top-20 opponent to that point.
- The Demon Deacons won their 14th-straight match, defeating Miami (4-2) in the 2024 road finale.
- The streak marked the program's longest since 2019.
- It included wins over Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Clemson, North Carolina A&T, Baylor, VCU, Campbell, Louisville, Notre Dame, Belmont Abbey, NC State, Boston College, Florida State and Miami.
- The streak marked the program's longest since 2019.
- Following one of the best regular seasons in program history and a semifinal appearance in the 2024 ACC Tournament, Filippo Moroni, DK Suresh Ekambaram and Holden Koons earned All-ACC accolades.
- Moroni and Suresh Ekambaram were named Second Team All-ACC in singles, while the pairing of Suresh Ekambaram/Koons garnered First Team All-ACC honors in doubles.
- The Demon Deacons were selected as the No. 6 overall seed for the 2024 NCAA Men's Tennis Tournament. The Deacs were joined by Arizona State, Georgia and South Carolina State at the Winston-Salem Regional.
- The nod marked the Demon Deacons' 11th-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and their 23rd all-time.
- Wake Forest swept South Carolina State, 4-0, to open NCAA Tournament play.
- With the victory, the Demon Deacons reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the ninth-consecutive season.
- Additionally, Wake Forest improved to a perfect 4-0 against South Carolina State all-time.
- After claiming the doubles point behind consecutive wins in the first and third slots, the Demon Deacons reeled off three-straight singles victories to secure their ninth sweep of the 2024 campaign.
- Individually, the Deacs were led by No. 124 Luciano Tacchi as the Bella Vista, Argentina native earned a dominant 6-0, 6-1 win on court four, marking his fifth-consecutive dual singles victory.
- In front of an energetic and enthusiastic home crowd, No. 6 seed Wake Forest earned a 4-3 victory over Arizona State in the NCAA Super Regionals.
- With the win, the Demon Deacons reached the Sweet 16 for the seventh time since 2015.
- For the second-consecutive match, Wake Forest clinched the doubles point, as No. 2 DK Suresh Ekambaram/Holden Koons and Filippo Moroni/Matthew Thomson earned wins on courts one and two, respectively.
- Opening singles play, Arizona State won the first set on four courts, before going on to take a 2-1 lead with victories in third and fourth singles. Freshman Luca Pow then squared the contest, 2-2, with a win on court five, leaving just three courts undecided.
- The Sun Devils immediately regained the lead with a win in second singles, pulling themselves within one point of clinching the match.
- Despite dropping the second set, and going down a break in the third, No. 25 Filippo Moroni stormed back to defeat No. 11 Murphy Cassone on court one to even the ledger at three apiece.
- All eyes then turned to graduate student Holden Koons on court six as the York, Pa., native held serve to take a 6-5 lead in the final set. Koons then broke Martin Vergara of Arizona State to clinch the match, securing the Demon Deacons' spot in the NCAA Super Regionals.
- With the win, the Demon Deacons reached the Sweet 16 for the seventh time since 2015.
- Wake Forest defeated Stanford, 4-1, to reach the Elite Eight for the fourth time in program history.
- For the third-consecutive match, the Deacs took a 1-0 lead after clinching the doubles point. Despite Stanford winning the first set on four courts, Wake Forest extended its advantage to 3-0 behind wins from DK Suresh Ekambaram and Luca Pow.
- Of note, Suresh Ekambaram defeated No. 55 Samir Banerjee in three sets, marking his 10th victory over a ranked foe this season. Additionally, Pow's win marked his 18th-straight.
- Stanford narrowed its deficit, taking first singles, but the Demon Deacons immediately responded with a victory on court four to clinch the match, 4-1.
- The Demon Deacons upset No. 2 [3] Virginia, 4-1, to reach the NCAA Semifinals for the third time in program history and the first time since 2019.
- Additionally, the Deacs became the first team to beat Virginia outdoors since May 17, 2021, while also becoming only the second ACC school to defeat the Cavaliers since Feb. 23, 2021.
- Wake Forest clinched the doubles point for the fourth-consecutive match behind wins on courts one and two. The Demon Deacons' momentum carried over into singles as they won the first set on five courts, with the lone Virginia win coming in a tiebreaker.
- No. 124 Luciano Tacchi earned his career-high 21st dual singles victory of the season to extend the Deacs' lead, before Holden Koons and No. 79 DK Suresh Ekambaram earned wins on courts six and two, respectively, to punch Wake Forest's ticket to the final four.
- Additionally, the Deacs became the first team to beat Virginia outdoors since May 17, 2021, while also becoming only the second ACC school to defeat the Cavaliers since Feb. 23, 2021.
Follow the Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3,2
#1 Singles Match
12
03
Eliot Spizzirri / 0 (2/-) [TEX]
66
#2 Singles Match
12
24
Micah Braswell / 0 (5/-) [TEX]
66
#3 Singles Match
12
35
Gilles-Arnaud Bailly / 0 (40/-) [TEX]
67
#4 Singles Match
12
26
Pierre-Yves Bailly / 0 (90/-) [TEX]
67
#5 Singles Match
12
67
Cleeve Harper / 0 [TEX]
46
#6 Singles Match
123
65UF
Lucas Brown / 0 [TEX]
44UF
Order of Finish:
1,2,4,5,3
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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