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AUSTIN, Texas The No. 1 Virginia men’s tennis team rallied for a thrilling 4-3 victory over No. 10 Texas Sunday afternoon at the Penick-Allison Tennis Center. The Cavaliers fell behind in five of six singles matches and in two of three doubles matches, but overcame the adversity to improve to 18-0 on the season.
“This match was just such high level tennis,” said Virginia head coach Brian Boland. “Once the weather cleared, both teams came out and played phenomenal and we just won a few key points that were the difference. There were so many momentum changes. We get down and singles and battle back to get it to 3-3 going to doubles. Then doubles was just back and forth. This was the type of match we needed and all kinds of credit should go to Texas, who played a great match.”
After nearly a two-hour rain delay, the match opened with singles play and the Longhorns came out strong, winning five of the six first sets. Texas took a 1-0 lead as Dimitar Kutrovsky defeated Dominic Inglot (London, England) 7-5, 6-4 at the No. 1 position. The Longhorn lead was extended to 2-0 as Ed Corrie topped Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.) 6-3, 6-4 at No. 2 singles. Virginia cut the lead in half, 2-1, when Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.) rallied from losing the first set for a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 win over Josh Zavala at No. 6 singles. The Cavaliers drew even as Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) capped his own comeback, rallying for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Kellen Damico at No. 3 singles. The Cavaliers took a 3-2 lead with another come-from-behind victory, as Houston Barrick (Brentwood, Tenn.) topped Miguel Reyes Varela 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-3 at No. 4 singles. Texas drew even as Oliver Sajous rallied for a three-set win, 5-7, 7-6, 6-3, over Steven Eelkman Rooda (Amersfoort, The Netherlands) at No. 5 singles.
The dual match would come down to the doubles point. The Cavaliers took an early advantage as Shabaz and Inglot rallied from down a break for an 8-6 win over Kutrovsky and Zavala at No. 2 doubles. Texas drew even as Sajous and Reyes Varela topped Courtney and Lee Singer (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) 8-6 at No. 3 doubles. The match came down to the No. 1 doubles match, where Barrick and Singh were serving for the match at 7-6, but the Texas team of Corrie and Damico broke to draw even at 7-7. The Cavalier duo broke right back and served out the match for a 9-7 win that clinched the 4-3 dual match win.
“Those were great wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles,” said Boland. “Our guys just kept fighting. At No. 1, Sanam had match points serving a 7-6, got broke, but he and Houston refocused and came back and broke Texas at love in the next game. Then Houston served for the match, and it was a long game with at least five match points before they finished it. To keep fighting and to keep your composure in that type of situation, with that pressure, is impressive. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
The Cavaliers will return home to resume ACC play this weekend. Virginia hosts Clemson on Friday and Georgia Tech on Sunday. Both matches are slated to be played outdoors at the Snyder Tennis Center.
No. 1 Virginia 4, No. 10 Texas 3
Singles
1. #17 Dimitar Kutrovsky (UT) def. #18 Dominic Inglot (UVa) 7-5, 6-4
2. #68 Ed Corrie (UT) def. #16 Michael Shabaz (UVa) 6-3, 6-4
3. #12 Sanam Singh (UVa) def. #125 Kellen Damico (UT) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. #54 Houston Barrick (UVa) def. Miguel Reyes Varela (UT) 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-3
5. #121 Oliver Sajous (UT) def. Steven Eelkman Rooda (UVa) 5-7, 7-6, 6-3
6. Drew Courtney (UVa) def. Josh Zavala (UT) 4-6, 6-0, 6-3
Doubles
1. #2 Barrick/Singh (UVa) def. #35 Corrie/Damico (UT) 9-7
2. #23 Inglot/Shabaz (UVa) def. #32 Kutrovsky/Zavala (UT) 8-6
3. Sajous/Reyes Varela (UT) def. Courtney/Singer (UVa) 8-6
Order of Finish
Doubles: 2,3,1
Singles: 1,2,6,3,4,5