LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Notre Dame men’s tennis team earned their first victory of the season as they defeated Kentucky 5-2 to open the 2019 season.
Beginning in doubles, Grayson Broadus and Matt Gamble finished three doubles first, soundling beating their Wildcat opponents 6-1. Richard Ciamarra and Tristan McCormick secured the doubles point for the team when they won their set six games to three to give the Irish the 1-0 lead.
Alex Lebedev extended that lead to two as he downed his opponent in straight sets, 6-2 and 6-3. The Wildcats earned one back in two singles before McCormick came back after losing set one (7-5), to defeat his opposition with a final score of 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.
The Irish extended their lead to 4-1 as Axel Nefve and Cesar Bourgois went to three sets, ultimately going to Nefve, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6.
The final Irish tally came in six singles as Guillermo Cabrera won in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-1.
The Wildcats tallied their second and final point as William Howells dropped the final match of the day by a pair of 3-6 sets.
The Irish will compete next weekend at the ITA Kickoff Weekend where they are set to compete against Vanderbilt on Friday, January 25. The winner of that match will go on to play the champion of Drake/Oklahoma. There will also be a consolation match for the remaining two teams.
Notre Dame opens their home season of competition with Virginia on Friday, February 1 at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
–ND–