LSU men’s tennis sweeps Purdue, Nicholls State

LSU improved to 5-1 on the dual season after defeating Purdue, 6-1, and Nicholls State, 4-0, Sunday afternoon at the LSU Tennis Complex.

Purdue Match

The Tigers started off doubles from behind after No. 50 Vlad Lobak/Gabriel Diz Freire fell to Galus/Wozniak, 6-2. Boris Kozlov and Kent Hunter tied doubles up after winning on court two, 6-1. Court three would decide the doubles point, and the Tigers had their chance to claim it. Joao Graca and Nick Watson had the Purdue duo at match point seven times, but were not able to close it out. The match went to a tiebreak as Purdue clinched the doubles point, 7-6(2).

Dropping the doubles point meant the Tigers would need four out of six in singles and they did that and more.

The Tigers went a perfect 6/6 during the match, starting at court three. Joao Graca knotted the match at one after winning 6-2, 6-2. Once Boris Kozlov gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead with a 6-2, 6-4 victory, it was all LSU following. Benjamin Ambrosio defeated Piotr Galus, 6-4, 6-3, putting the Tigers one win away from clinching the match. Kent Hunter dropped his first set, but dominated the next two, clinching the victory, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2. The two teams played the rest of the match out, only adding to LSU’s lead. Boris Kozlov won in straight sets over Rohan Sachdec, 6-2, 6-4 and Vlad Lobak won in three sets over Athell Bennett, 6-7(1), 7-6(5), 1-0(9).

Nicholls State Match

The afternoon match saw the 2022 debut of LSU’s No. 1 heir and ITA ranked No, 28 Ronald Hohmann. Hohmann was recovering from appendicitis to start the season but gave it a go in doubles.

The Tigers rolled in doubles, only dropping two games in the two matches won. Kent Hunter and Boris Kozlov moved up to court one and won, 6-1. No. 50 Diaz Freire/Lobak clinched the doubles point, 6-2. Hohmann and Nick Watson were leading 4-2, but the teams did not play out doubles.

In singles, LSU remained flawless, going 3 for 3 to clinch the victory. Diaz Freire started LSU off with a near-perfect 6-0, 6-1, win on court four. Joao Graca put the Tigers up 3-0 after a 6-1, 6-2 victory and the match was clinched on court five after Boris Kozlov won 6-3, 6-1. The teams did not play the match out, but LSU was leading on all three courts.

Next Time Out

LSU will head to Dallas, Texas to face Texas Tech on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 4:00 p.m.

LSU 6, Purdue 1

Singles

1. Vlad Lobak (LSU) def. Athell Bennett (PURDUE) 6-7 (7-2), 7-6, 1-0 (11-9)
2. Kent Hunter (LSU) def. Sebastian Welch (PURDUE) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
3. Joao Graca (LSU) def. Tomasz Dudek (PURDUE) 6-2, 6-2
4. Gabriel Diaz Freire (LSU) def. Michal Wozniak (PURDUE) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
5. Boris Kozlov (LSU) def. Rohan Sachdev (PURDUE) 6-2, 6-4
6. Benjamin Ambrosio (LSU) def. Piotr Galus (PURDUE) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles

1. Piotr Galus/Michal Wozniak (PURDUE) def. #50 Vlad Lobak/Gabriel Diaz Freire (LSU) 6-2
2. Boris Kozlov/Kent Hunter (LSU) def. Milledge Cossu/Athell Bennett (PURDUE) 6-1
3. Sebastian Welch/Tomasz Dudek (PURDUE) def. Joao Graca/Nick Watson (LSU) 7-6 (7-2)

Match Notes:

Purdue 3-5

LSU 4-1

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,5,6,2,4,1)

Official: Richie Weaver

LSU 4, Nicholls 0

Singles

1. Vlad Lobak (LSU) vs. Omar Morsy (NICM) 6-3, 3-2, unfinished
2. Kent Hunter (LSU) vs. Ricardo Machado (NICM) 6-5, 1-2, unfinished
3. Joao Graca (LSU) def. P. Surendra Salekar (NICM) 6-1, 6-2
4. Gabriel Diaz Freire (LSU) def. Nicola Wehrle (NICM) 6-0, 6-1
5. Boris Kozlov (LSU) def. Pavle Drobnjakovic (NICM) 6-3, 6-1
6. Benjamin Ambrosio (LSU) vs. Antonio Sasso (NICM) 6-2, 5-2, unfinished

Doubles

1. Kent Hunter/Boris Kozlov (LSU) def. P. Surendra Salekar/Nicola Wehrle (NICM) 6-1
2. #50 Gabriel Diaz Freire/Vlad Lobak (LSU) def. Ricardo Machado/Griffin Babineaux (NICM) 6-2
3. Ronald Hohmann/Nick Watson (LSU) vs. Omar Morsy/Antonio Sasso (NICM) 4-2, unfinished

Match Notes:

Nicholls 2-3

LSU 5-1

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (4,3,5)

Official: Richie Weaver