WAC play begins with road loss

Friday, March 31

Abilene, Texas

4 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Abilene Christian

3/31/2023 9:15:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Lopes pick up 2 singles wins on the road

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon men's tennis team opened Western Athletic Conference play with a 5-2 loss to Abilene Christian on Friday.

Windy conditions delayed the start of the match to 4 p.m. (Phoenix time) and the Lopes (4-10, 0-1 WAC) were unable to find their footing in doubles losing the point. Singles was competitive as David Wekesa and Paolo Rosati each picked up wins in three sets.

Abilene Christian (10-9, 1-0 WAC) took the early advantage by winning the doubles point with wins at the bottom two courts. GCU freshmen duo Willam Alsterback and Mattia Ghedin lost at court two 6-2 before Jonathan Da Silva and Wekesa answered with a 6-4 win at No. 1. The point was clinched by ACU with a close 6-4 win at court three over Rosati and GCU sophomore Martim Marujo.

The Wildcats used their momentum and took the first three singles matches in straight sets to clinch the team win at 4-0. GCU responded in the later stages of singles play as Rosati rebounded from a 6-1 first set loss and won the next two sets 6-4, 7-6 to get the Lopes on the board.

Wekesa wrapped up the dual match with a comeback win at court five. The GCU freshman won his first set 6-3 and after a second set loss Wekesa prevailed in a 7-6 tiebreaker in the third set.

The Lopes will head to Las Crues for a Sunday afternoon matchup with New Mexico State starting at 12 p.m. (Phoenix time).