Mar. 25, 2018
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 6 Texas A&M men's tennis team claimed its sixth straight SEC win Sunday afternoon, defeating Alabama 5-2 at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center. With the win, the Aggies improved to 14-4 overall and 6-0 in league play while Alabama fell to 15-6 on the year and 1-5 in the league.
The Aggies marched out to an early lead by claiming the doubles point to begin the match for the 11th time in 18 matches this spring. No. 19 Juan Carlos Aguilar and Jordi Arconada raced out to an early advantage against Edson Ortiz and Mazen Osama and cruised to a 6-2 victory. No. 48 Patrick Kypson and Arthur Rinderknech used a late break to claim a 6-2 win over No. 71 Thibault Cancel and Alexey Nesterov on court two to clinch the doubles point.
No. 25 Valentin Vacherot doubled the A&M advantage with an impressive 6-1, 6-3 victory over Ortiz on court four. The Frenchman improved to 19-9 on the year and 5-1 in SEC play. Shortly after Vacherot's victory, No. 49 Arconada picked up A&M's third point of the day. Arconada won for the 15th time this spring, topping Zhe Zhou 6-1, 6-2 on court three. Aguilar clinched the win for the Aggies with his 13th dual match win this spring, the freshman bested Riccardo Roberto 6-2, 6-3 on court five.
No. 6 Rinderknech won his 11th match in a row to improve to 15-1 this year, the senior improved to 6-0 in league matches with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Cancel on court two. The Tide were able to claim the final two points of the day as Alexey Nesterov topped Barnaby Smith on court six followed by No. 95 Osama topping No. 37 Kypson on court one.
Texas A&M 5, Alabama 2
Singles Competition
1. #95 Mazen Osama (BAMA) def. #37 Patrick Kypson (TAMU) 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-3)
2. #6 Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU) def. Thibault Cancel (BAMA) 6-2, 6-3
3. #49 Jordi Arconada (TAMU) def. Zhe Zhou (BAMA) 6-1, 6-2
4. #25 Valentin Vacherot (TAMU) def. Edson Ortiz (BAMA) 6-1, 6-3
5. Juan Carlos Aguilar (TAMU) def. Riccardo Roberto (BAMA) 6-2, 6-2
6. Alexey Nesterov (BAMA) def. Barnaby Smith (TAMU) 6-0, 3-6, 6-1
Doubles Competition
1. #19 Juan Carlos Aguilar/Jordi Arconada (TAMU) def. Edson Ortiz/Mazen Osama (BAMA) 6-2
2. #48 Arthur Rinderknech/Patrick Kypson (TAMU) def. #71 Thibault Cancel/Alexey Nesterov (BAMA) 6-2
3. AJ Catanzariti/Valentin Vacherot (TAMU) vs. Patrick Kaukovalta/Riccardo Roberto (BAMA) 4-5, unfinished