Marathon match goes to Titans

Sunday, February 18

Phoenix, Ariz.

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Utah State

Photo by: Jayden Todd

2/18/2024 2:11:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Wekesa, Rosati clinch singles wins, but Lopes lose 4-3 in 3-plus hours

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon men's tennis team dropped a competitive 4-3 match to Utah State on Sunday afternoon at GCU Tennis Facility.

In a match that lasted more than three hours, the Lopes (2-4) held the early lead after doubles, but Utah State (7-1) answered back in singles by winning the first two matches. GCU responded to take a 3-2 lead late, but the Aggies won the final two singles matches to steal the team win.

The Lopes fell behind early in doubles but rallied on two courts to get the 1-0 lead. Utah State quickly won 6-0 at Court 2 over graduate Pablo Carretero Salvador and sophomore Paolo Rosati, but rallied to tie the doubles competition with graduate Gerhard Sullwald and sophomore David Wekesa jumping out to a 3-2 lead and finishing with a 6-3 win at the No. 1 position.

Minutes after the Lopes won at the top court, it was senior Wyatt Anderson and junior Jonathan Da Silva clinching the doubles point with a 6-4 win at Court 3.

Utah State responded in singles, winning two matches in straight sets to take the lead at 2-1. Sullwald lost 6-2, 6-3 at Court 1 and Almasi lost a tiebreaker in his first set before falling 6-2 in the second set.

The four other singles matches all went to three sets and the Lopes attempted a comeback with a pair of wins. Wekesa prevailed 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 at No. 3 while Rosati won 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 to put GCU up 3-2.

Just two matches remained and Da Silva pushed his match to a third set after being shut out in his first set. The GCU junior was unable to complete the comeback in the third, ultimately losing 0-6, 7-6, 1-6.

With the match tied at 3-3, the dual-match win all came down to Court 2 and GCU's Salvador and Utah State's Stijn Paardekooper. After losing the first set 6-2, Salvador responded winning the second set 7-6 in a 7-4 tiebreaker. In the third set, Parradekooper jumped out to a 5-0 lead and closed out the set and the match with a 6-2 win.

The Lopes will be back in action next weekend, traveling across town to Arizona State at 5:30 p.m. Friday and hosting Nevada at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at GCU Tennis Facility.