De Klerk Remains Perfect, TU Men’s Tennis Nipped By No. 5 Texas 6-1
TULSA, Okla. – Freshman Japie De Klerk kept his undefeated streak alive with a three-set victory in singles play as the No. 35-ranked University of Tulsa men’s tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to No. 5 Texas Sunday afternoon at Case Tennis Center.
De Klerk lost his first set 6-4 to Sudanwa Sitaram, but he bounced back to claim a 6-4 victory in the second set.
Texas had already wrapped up the team competition, so the match at No. 6 singles went to a super tiebreaker in lieu of a full third set.
De Klerk dominated Sitaram and jumped ahead 9-4 before finally winning the final set 10-7.
The rookie sensation is now a perfect 4-0 this season, which includes two-straight three-set thrillers against California and Texas.
He and sophomore Marcelo Arevalo rolled at No. 3 doubles as they torched Vasko Mladenov and Ben Chen 8-3.
Texas was able to secure the doubles point, however, as sophomores Grant Ive and Alastair Barnes lost a nail-biter 8-6 to the No. 25-ranked duo of Kellen Damico and David Holiner. The No. 22-ranked tandem of junior Ashley Watling and sophomore Clifford Marsland reached match point against the No. 5-ranked doubles team in the nation, but Ed Corrie and Jean Andersen would eventually capture the 9-8 (8-6) victory over the Golden Hurricane.
No. 44-ranked Arevalo fell at No. 1 singles to Corrie, 7-6 (10-8), 7-6 (7-2). No. 96-ranked Marsland dropped his match at No. 2 singles to Andersen 6-1, 6-2, and No. 89-ranked Watling fell to Damico at No. 3 singles 2-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-5).
Ive was unable to pull the upset against No. 100-ranked Chen in a 6-4, 6-3 decision at No. 4 singles, and No. 78-ranked Mladenov, the highest-ranked player on UT’s roster, played No. 5 singles and defeated sophomore Tristan Jackson 6-0, 6-4.
Tulsa will next face Conference foe Memphis at 2 p.m. Jan. 21 at Case Tennis Center.
Tennis Match Results
Jan 16, 2011 at Tulsa, Okla.
(Case Tennis Center)
#5 Texas 6, #35 Tulsa 1
Singles competition
1. Ed Corrie (UT) def. #44 Marcelo Arevalo () 7-6 (10-8), 7-6 (7-2)
2. Jean Andersen (UT) def. #96 Clifford Marsland () 6-1, 6-2
3. Kellen Damico (UT) def. #89 Ashley Watling () 2-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-5)
4. #100 Ben Chen (UT) def. Grant Ive () 6-4, 6-3
5. #78 Vasko Mladenov (UT) def. Tristan Jackson () 6-0, 6-4
6. Japie De Klerk () def. Sudanwa Sitaram (UT) 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)
Doubles competition
1. #5 Ed Corrie/Jean Andersen (UT) def. #22 Clifford Marsland/Ashley Watling () 9-8 (8-6)
2. #25 Kellen Damico/David Holiner (UT) def. Grant Ive/Alastair Barnes () 8-6
3. Marcelo Arevalo/Japie De Klerk () def. Vasko Mladenov/Ben Chen (UT) 8-3
Match Notes:
Texas 2-0; National ranking #5
Tulsa 2-2; National ranking #35
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,5,4,3,6,1)
Updated 01-17-2011
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