Tennessee tennis got back in the win column, this time defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks, 4-2. The No. 18 Vols (10-5, 1-3 SEC) desperately needed a win after dropping their last three matches. The No. 39 ranked Razorbacks (12-5, 2-2) had a solid outing, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Vols from securing the win.
Here’s how it went down in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Sunday afternoon.
Victory in doubles
The Vols needed a hot start after losing their last three matches. They were able to take the doubles point, something they have placed extra emphasis on all season. Tennessee looked strong for the most part, winning the two sets it needed by a wide margin.
Court 1 was where the action began, with the No. 26 ranked pair of Alex Kotzen and Alejandro Moreno putting the Vols on the board early. They had an impressive outing, posting a 6-2 victory to get Tennessee the early lead.
Court 3 was the next to go, and it fell Arkansas’ way. Tennessee’s Jan Kobierski and James Newton struggled throughout the match, losing 6-2 to keep Arkansas alive as they headed to the final court.
However, the Razorbacks’ hopes for a win were crushed, as Alan Jesudason and Shunsuke Mitsui took care of business. Despite it being a back-and-forth early, Tennessee pulled away late to seal the point, winning 6-3.
Singles seals the win
The Vols bounced back from a lackluster singles performance against Oklahoma well, winning three singles points to end their losing streak.
The first win of the day came on Court 3. Jose Garcia beat his opponent 6-1 and 6-3 to clinch the first court. Ian Cruz followed shortly behind on Court 6, winning 6-1, 6-3 as well, putting the Vols just one point away from victory.
The most difficult win was the last, as No. 31 Kotzen beat his opponent in three sets to end the losing streak. After dropping the first set 6-3, he needed to find a way to get back into the match. His next two sets weren’t particularly close, as he won 6-2 and 6-4 to seal the win for Tennessee.
Much to improve despite the win
Although Tennessee got back in the win column, it left much to be desired.
Mitsui, ITA’s No. 16 ranked player, had an uncharacteristically bad performance. Although he did his part in the doubles win, he was unable to find a rhythm in singles. He lost 6-2 and 6-1 against unranked Lukas Palovic to give Arkansas its first point of the day.
No. 95 Moreno also struggled in singles despite the doubles win. He was tasked with No. 102 Jakub Vrba on Court 4 and was unable to figure him out. The Razorbacks’ only ranked player had a great outing against him, winning in straight sets, 6-3 and 6-4.
Up next
The Vols return home for a week of rest following their three-match road trip. Luckily for them, they’ll host their next three matches, including No. 31 Kentucky Wildcats on March 9.
