Men’s Tennis Sweeps No. 37 Louisville at ITA Kickoff Opener

Saturday, January 23

Athens, Ga.

9:00 a.m. (ET)

University of Memphis

#37 University of Louisville

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Men’s Tennis Sweeps No. 37 Louisville at ITA Kickoff Opener

Jan 23, 2016 | Men's Tennis

Tigers advance to Sunday championship round vs. No. 6 Georgia.

By: Tammy DeGroff

ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Memphis men's tennis team (1-1) swept. No. 37 ranked Louisville (3-2) in the first round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend at the Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Tennis Facility at the University of Georgia.

Memphis took a 1-0 lead after the doubles team of Ryan Peniston and Felix Rauch closed out a 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles, breaking a 1-1 tie for the doubles point. Louisville's No. 57 ranked team of Alex Gornet and Jeffrey Brown grabbed a 6-4 win at No. 1 singles after Memphis got on the board first with a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles.

Peniston then picked up Memphis' first singles win, grabbing a quick 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 2 for a 2-0 Tiger lead. Andrew Watson then picked up a win over No. 108 ranked Alex Gornet at No. 1 singles, 6-3, 6-2, for a 3-0 Memphis lead. Freshman Chris Patzanovsky then booked the sweep with a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 4 singles.

With the win, Memphis advances to the final of the Georgia regional of the ITA Kickoff Weekend. Memphis will face No. 6 ranked Georgia, Sunday, at 5 p.m. The winning team from the regional will advance to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship in New York in February.

Memphis vs Louisville
Jan 23, 2016 at Athens, Ga.
(Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Facility)

#44 Memphis 4, #37 Louisville 0

Singles competition
1. #87 Andrew Watson (MEMPHIS) def. #108 Alex Gornet (UL) 6-3, 6-2
2. Ryan Peniston (MEMPHIS) def. Carlos Longhi Neto (UL) 6-2, 6-1
3. Brandon Lancaster (UL) vs. Kai Lemke (MEMPHIS) 3-6, 6-4, 5-7, unfinished
4. Chris Patzanovsky (MEMPHIS) def. Sean Donohue (UL) 6-2, 6-3
5. Courtney Lock (UL) vs. Felix Rauch (MEMPHIS) 1-6, 1-4, unfinished
6. Christian Haushammer (UL) vs. Shakeel Manji (MEMPHIS) 3-6, 2-1, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. #57 Alex Gornet/Jeffrey Brown (UL) def. Louis Asser/Kai Lemke (MEMPHIS) 6-4
2. Ryan Peniston/Felix Rauch (MEMPHIS) def. Christian Haushammer/Brandon Lancaster (UL) 6-2
3. Andrew Watson/Shakeel Manji (MEMPHIS) def. George Hedley/Courtney Lock (UL) 6-2

Match Notes:
Memphis 1-1; National ranking #44
Louisville 3-2; National ranking #37
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,1,4)
ITA Kickoff
Official: Paul Jones T-2:55 A-67