Semi win puts Lopes in championship match

Friday, April 19

Harlingen, Texas

7 a.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

Abilene Christian

Photo by: WAC

4/19/2024 10:41:00 AM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

GCU returns to WAC tourney championship match for 1st time since 2021

By: Josh Hauser

HARLINGEN, Texas — Grand Canyon is headed back to the championship match of the WAC Men's Tennis Tournament after defeating third-seeded Abilene Christian 4-2 in the semifinals on Friday morning.

The Lopes (9-12) have won six of their last seven matches and are returning to the title match for the first time since 2021.

"So much heart," Lopes second-year head coach Derek Siddiqui said. "I'm so proud of how resilient they are. This is what we've been working for. Super proud of them."

GCU had to fight back from dropping the doubles point, just as the Lopes did when they last played the Wildcats less than two weeks ago. Singles wins on Courts 2-5 brought home the victory.

"We obviously would like the doubles point," Siddiqui said. "We know that we have six guys that were all healthy that anyone can win their match. We trust that. This is the final stretch where we've had two or three weeks where we've been healthy. The guys know that, and we're starting to peak at the right time. That's what it's all about in the tournament."

The moment of the match came on Court 3 when sophomore David Wekesa was engaged in a tiebreaker battle in the first set of his match. The first-team All-WAC honoree fought back from 5-4 and 6-5 in the first set to force a tiebreaker, which he won 10-8 to take the first set.

It was a vital set win with the Lopes trailing on Courts 1 and 6 and needing to go undefeated on the middle four singles courts.

"I knew that we needed (David's) first set right there," Siddiqui said. "He just finds ways to win. Even if the tennis is super ugly, he's an amazing athlete. And I told him that. I told him, 'You're a pure athlete and that's going to win you this match.' He just finds ways to win. I'm so proud of him. He stayed in there pretty tough. Just to see the growth he's made over the last year, I'm just so proud of him."

Wekesa cruised to a 6-1 win in the second set of his match to secure the fourth and final point for the Lopes. The sophomore has won 10 consecutive singles matches to improve to 13-4 on the season.

GCU won in more comfortable fashion on Courts 2, 4 and 5. All-WAC first teamer Gerhard Sullwald won 6-3, 6-3 on the second court. Sophomore Alfred Almasi won 6-3, 6-4 on the fourth court. Junior Jonathan Da Silva posted the most convincing win, earning the Lopes their first point of the day with a 6-1, 6-1 win on Court 5.

The Lopes avenged a season-ending loss to Abilene Christian in last year's WAC Tournament.

A championship match with top-seeded UT Arlington awaits on Saturday at 7 a.m. (Phoenix time). The Mavericks were pushed to the brink in their semifinal match by fifth-seeded UT Rio Grande Valley. They needed to win three-set matches on two singles courts to steal a 4-3 victory against the host team. The Lopes and Mavericks met in Arlington on March 30 with the home team winning 4-3.