GCU returns to WAC tourney title match on 4-0 win

Friday, April 18

Arlington, Texas

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

Photo by: WAC

4/18/2025 10:16:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Top-seeded Lopes glide by Seattle U, face 3rd-seeded Abilene Christian

By: Tyler Killgore

ARLINGTON, Texas — Grand Canyon men's tennis is championship-bound again after delivering a 4-0 victory over Seattle U in a WAC Tournament semifinal on Friday.

The top-seeded Lopes (13-6) continued their best season since 2019 by controlling the semifinal match from start to finish, sweeping doubles and quickly locking in three consecutive singles wins to punch their ticket to Saturday's WAC title match against No. 3 seed Abilene Christian. Due to weather forecasts, that title dual's site at noon Saturday was moved indoors to SMU's Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex in Dallas.

"We came out with a great energy," GCU head coach Derek Siddiqui said. "I think we matched Seattle's energy because they brought a lot of energy. A lot of credit goest to them for coming ut and just firing on all cylinders. We responded really well in doubles and that set the tone."

In doubles, the Lopes started on Court 3 with a decisive win. The double sweep began with Greek freshman Andreas Loizas and Italian senior Paolo Rosati beating the Redhawks duo of Jayden Harrison and Filip Stipic 6-1. Over on Court 1, GCU senior Jonathan Da Silva and sophomore Brice Patoux won a close battle, 6-4, to secure the doubles point.

GCU rode this momentum into the singles matches. On Court 2, Patoux continued his winning ways to close out a 6-2, 6-2 triumph first. On Court 5, the MVP of the match, freshman Diordan Macababbad, nearly won a double bagel a 6-1, 6-0 win that gave the Lopes a commanding 3-0 lead.

"Diordan came out in singles just firing," Siddiqui said of his 10-3 Englishman. "He brought so much energy. He was composed. He led us off with a great momentum shift and got off the court quick."

Loizas picked up his seventh singles win on the season to close out the sweep by defeating Seattle U's Jun Sasagawa 6-1, 6-3.

A championship match against Abilene Christian awaits Saturday at 12 p.m. (Phoenix time) as the Lopes look to capitalize after losing last year's WAC Tournament championship 4-3 to UT Arlington. No. 3 seed Abilene Christian upset No. 2 seed UT Arlington 4-2 on its home courts in the other Friday semifinal.

A GCU win would mark the men's program's sixth WAC Tournament title and secure an automatic NCAA Tournament berth. The Lopes last faced the Wildcats last season, when they won 5-2 at home in the regular season and 4-2 in a WAC Tournament semifinal.