The men’s tennis team opened the 2012 season at the SRC tennis courts on Wednesday afternoon and then traveled to San Diego on Sunday. The Highlanders hosted Nevada at the SRC tennis courts in the first fixture of the season. The Wolfpack proved to be too much for the Highlanders as they won all three points in doubles and six out of seven in singles. While on Sunday, The Highlanders travelled to San Diego and came back home empty handed as they lost all seven points in play.
Wolfpack 6 – Highlanders 1
On Wednesday, the action began with doubles matches. All three games were battled hard. UCR’s Felix Macherez and Austin Andres faced Nevada’s Wessin Derbel and Fernando Sunago in a close-fought match where the powerful serve of Nevada’s pair troubled the Highlanders. UCR tried to respond with long shots, but the Wolfpack looked comfortable at all times on the court. The final result was a 8-5 victory for Nevada. In the second and third matches, UCR again fell short. Highlanders Kevin Griffin and Jimmy Roberts were defeated 8-5 by Nevada’s Victor Ouvard and Moez Echargui. The Wolfpack claimed the point in doubles when Philip Hinojosa and Nathan Reix defeated UCR’s Luis Gastao and Simon Peters with a score of 8-6.
In singles action, Nevada widely dominated the Highlanders. UCR could not take but one point out of the seven in play. UCR’s Felix Macherez faced Nevada’s nationally-seeded no. 55 Wessin Derbel. The match started off balanced but as Derbel adapted to the court, he took control of the game and showed his class and fine forehand, winning the match easily by 6-1, 6-2. Elsewhere, Highlander Austin Andres claimed the lone point for UCR in his match against Quentin Mege. Andres showed the variety of shots he possesses in his arsenal. From powerful forehands to perfectly executed backhands and drop shots, Andres put in a fine performance to beat his rival and claim the victory by 6-4, 6-3. Other results included UCR’s Luis Gastao losing to Moez Echargui by 6-0, 6-4 and Highlander Jimmy Roberts losing to Victor Ouvard by 6-1, 7-6.
Aztecs 7 – Highlanders 0
On Sunday, the Highlanders were looking to get back on track after their loss to Nevada, but San Diego State had other plans. Doubles matches were completely dominated by the Aztecs, who won all three encounters. UCR’s Felix Macherez and Austin Andres were swept by SDSU’s Javier Pulgar and Hunter Nicholas with a final result of 8-1. On the second doubles match, UCR put in a contest as Kevin Griffin and Jimmy Roberts got in front in their match against SDSU’s Spencer Simon and Rickey Baylon, but the Aztecs came from behind and defeated the Highlanders by 8-5 to claim the first point of the afternoon.
Singles action was not far different from what both teams presented in doubles matches. UCR was swept losing all six remaining points to the Aztecs. UCR’s Felix Macherez and Austin Andres were handed hard defeats when they faced Javier Pulgar and Rickey Baylon. They lost by scores of 6-0, 6-4 and 6-2, 6-2, respectively. Jimmy Roberts was the only Highlander that put in a decent performance; he won the first set of the match against SDSU’s Thorsten Bertsch by 6-2, but then dropped the second set to Bertsch, losing it by 6-4. A tie break was forced to decide a winner and even though Roberts had a great first set and a decent second set, he was swept in the tie break by 10-0.
Next for the UCR men’s tennis is a visit from Northern Arizona to the SRC tennis courts on Sunday afternoon.
