Siddiqui grabs 1st win; Lopes down Vikings

Sunday, January 22

Santa Barbara, Calif.

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Portland State

1/22/2023 9:03:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

New coach leads 6-1 victory at helm of Lopes

By: Jerob Moon

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Grand Canyon men's tennis team picked up its first win of the season with a 6-1 victory over Portland State in a neutral-site match on Sunday.

It marks the first win for new GCU head coach Derek Siddiqui and the Lopes were dominant, winning the doubles point and five of the six singles courts over the Vikings (0-2).

In doubles, the Lopes (1-3) put in their best effort of the young season, winning at Courts 1 and 3. GCU sophomore Jonathan Da Silva and freshman David Wekesa won easily 6-1 at the top doubles court while junior Loic Van Zeggelaar and freshman Paolo Rosati won 6-3 at Court 3 to clinch the doubles point for a 1-0 lead. GCU nearly won at Court 2 with sophomore Martim Marujo and freshman William Alsterback, leading 5-2 when the match was called.

In singles, the Lopes pushed their 1-0 advantage, picking up the first set on the top four courts. Da Silva took a close match at No. 2, winning 7-5, 7-6 (7-5). Meanwhile, Almasi, who joined the Lopes just three weeks ago, won his first collegiate match in straight sets.

At the top of the lineup, Marujo won his first set 6-2 but had to battle back from a 7-6, second-set loss on a 9-7 tiebreaker. In a third-set, 10-point tiebreaker, the GCU sophomore won 10-8 to pick up his first win of the season.

Farther down the lineup at Court 4, Wekesa won in straight sets and freshman Mattia Ghedin came back in three sets to win 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The Vikings picked up their lone point of the day with a straight-set win over Rosati at No. 5.

With their first win, the Lopes will enjoy an off-week before heading back out on the road to take on Utah State and Weber State on Feb. 4 and 5.