Tigers win 4-3 thriller at No. 31 Alabama

Sunday, March 21

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

1 p.m.

University of Memphis

Alabama

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Mar 22, 2021 | Men's Tennis

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A riveting match between ranked teams came down to the final point, with Oscar Cutting of the 32nd-ranked Memphis Tigers clinching the match at No. 31 Alabama with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win Sunday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Memphis (7-5) got off to a fast start, winning the doubles point with 6-2 victories by both Patrick Sydow/Jan Pallares and Oscar Cutting/David Stevenson. James Story picked up the first singles point for the Tigers from the top spot, defeating Alabama's Edson Ortiz, 7-5, 6-1.

Alabama made it 2-1 with a win in the six-spot, before the Tigers came within a point of clinching the match after a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win by David Stevenson in the third position. But the Crimson Tide took the next two points to tie the match at 3, turning all eyes to the second court.

Cutting won the first set over Zhe Zhou, 6-4, before Zhou won 7-5 in the second set. Cutting was able to prevail and clinch the match for the Tigers with a 6-4 win in the decisive third set.

Memphis' doubles team of Sydow/Pallares improved to 8-2 on the season with their win.

Up next for the Tigers is a home match against Middle Tennessee on April 11.

Results
Singles
1. James Story (MEM) def. Edson Ortiz (UA) 7-5, 6-1
2. Oscar Cutting (MEM) def. Zhe Zhou (UA) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
3. David Stevenson (MEM) def. Patrick Kaukovalta (UA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
4. Gabriel Diaz Freire (UA) def. Jan Pallares (MEM) 5-7, 7-5, 6-3
5. Riccardo Roberto (UA) def. Jeremy Taylor (MEM) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
6. Jeremy Gschwendtner (UA) def. Pau Fanlo (MEM) 6-2, 7-5

Doubles
1. Oscar Cutting/David Stevenson (MEM) def. Patrick Kaukovalta/Riccardo Roberto (UA) 6-2
2. Patrick Sydow/Jan Pallares (MEM) def. Gabriel Diaz Freire/Zhe Zhou (UA) 6-2
3. Alexey Nesterov/Edson Ortiz (UA) vs. James Story/Jeremy Taylor (MEM) 2-5, unfinished

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (1,6,3,5,4,2)