SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Day two of the Fighting Irish Hidden Duals was continued success for the host University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team after a great opening day. The Saturday of competition saw the Irish pick up another nine singles wins against only three losses to outside competition.
The morning started with singles play that would complete the second round of play for each pairing. After all four Notre Dame teams won their doubles yesterday, each duo would need at least one more win in the singles portion to advance. Matt Che would come from a set down to beat his Bronco opponent 6-7 (4), 6-2, 1-0(2) and move along with teammate Connor Fu to the semifinals. In the next match, freshman Evan Lee would clinch the win for him and his partner Yu Zhang with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Louisville to set up a semifinal match with their senior teammates. Addy Vashistha and Noah Becker each won singles this morning to make it a 3-0 sweep of an Indiana team and make it three Irish teams in the semifinals. Jamie Corsillo would send his team to the next round in the consolation bracket with a win over Western Michigan.
In the third round of play, the top half of the draw would be a battle between Notre Dame teammates where Che and Fu would take the doubles set 6-4 before Che again clinched the win with a 6-4, 6-4 win over sophomore Zhang, qualifying the senior pair for a birth in the finals tomorrow.
Vashistha and Becker would again sweep their opponents, this time in the bottom half of the draw against two players from Northwestern. After a quick 6-2 win in doubles, Vashistha would take out his opponent 7-5, 6-1 while Becker would win a tight 6-4, 7-6(5) match against his Wildcat. They will take on their Irish teammates in the finals.
Freshman Becker is sitting at 5-0 this weekend between his singles and doubles play. Corsillo would move his singles record to 3-0 this weekend with a win over a new Western Michigan opponent in his 3rd round match. Che and Vashistha are also 3-0 in singles heading in to the final day of play.
Championship Sunday will begin with doubles play at 9am followed by singles at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
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Notre Dame Results – Round 2
Notre Dame 2 – Western Michigan 1
Che/Fu(ND) def. Honnappa/Pierce(WMU) 6-4
Che(ND) def. Honnappa(WMU) 6-7(4), 6-2, 1-0(2)
Pierce(ND) def. Fu(ND) 6-3, 6-2
Notre Dame 3 – Indiana 0
Vashistha/Becker(ND) def. Landau/Kumar(IU) 6-3
Vashistha(ND) def. Landau(IU) 7-5, 6-1
Becker(ND) def. Kumar(IU) 6-4, 6-2
Notre Dame 2 – Louisville 1
Zhang/Lee(ND) def. Wesbrooks/Steinbach(UL) 6-1
Wesbrooks(UL) def. Zhang(ND) 7-5, 2-6, 1-0(7)
Lee(ND) def. Steinbach(UL) 6-4, 6-4
Notre Dame 2 – Western Michigan 1
Halpin/Ho(ND) def. Kuszynski/Schluter(WMU) 6-3
Kuszynski(WMU) def. Halpin(ND) 6-4, 6-4
Corsillo(ND) def. Schluter(WMU) 6-4, 7-5
Notre Dame Results – Round 3
Notre Dame 2 – Notre Dame 1
Che/Fu(ND) def. Zhang/Lee(ND) 6-4
Che(ND) def. Zhang(ND) 6-4, 6-4
Lee(ND) def. Fu(ND) 2-6, 5-0 ret(inj)
Notre Dame 3 – Northwestern 0
Vashistha/Becker(ND) def. Goli/Bengsston(NU) 6-2
Vashistha(ND) def. Goli(NU) 6-4, 6-1
Becker(ND) def. Bengsston(NU) 6-4, 7-6(5)
Notre Dame 1 – Western Michigan 2
Arzhankin/Boone(WMU) def. Halpin/Ho(ND) 7-6(4)
Corsillo(ND) def. Arzhankin(WMU) 1-6, 6-2, 1-0(2)
Boone(WMU) def. Ho(ND) 6-3, 6-3