Wake Forest Men’s Tennis Title Defense Hits an Unexpected Twist
There will not be a repeat indoor national championship for the Wake Forest men's tennis team this year. On Saturday, the Deacs lost a heartbreaker to Baylor in the ITA National Team Indoor Championship quarterfinal match. The Bears won 4-3 in a dual that came down to the third-set tiebreaker on the final court.
Last year, Wake Forest defeated TCU to win its second-ever indoor national title. Those two teams would meet again in May, as Wake would win the NCAA Outdoor National Championship as well.
This weekend was the first opportunity to defend one of the two national titles from last year. The Deacs swept UC Santa Barbara on Friday in the first round of the tournament. And after winning the doubles point in Saturday's dual, it looked like Wake could be on its way to Monday's semifinal.
DK Suresh Ekambaram and Andrew Delgado earned a 6-3 victory on Court One. Then, for the second-consecutive match, Luca Pow and Charlie Robertson got the win on Court Two, defeating Baylor 6-4 and clinching the coveted doubles point for Wake.
The dual, though, was played on Baylor's home courts at the Hawkins Indoor Tennis Center in Waco. Baylor was not going down so quietly in front of their home crowd.
Credit to Baylor, they competed extremely well, especially in the big moments. We had opportunities, but they executed when it mattered most. This was a great match between two high-level teams, and we’ll regroup and be ready for tomorrow against TCU.Head coach Tony Bresky
Third Set Tiebreakers on Two Courts Made for a Tense Afternoon
The action on the courts during singles play was tense, and it didn't take long to know this dual was going to go the full distance.
A day after clinching the first-round match over UCSB, Mees Rottgering continued the incredible start to his career with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 99 Alexandru Chirita on Court Four and extended the lead to 2-0. He is now 6-1 at the collegiate level with two ranked wins.
However, Baylor responded quickly with wins on two courts to tie the dual at 2-2. Baylor's Connor van Schalkwyk defeated Luca Pow in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, on Court Three. Then, Zsombor Velcz defeated Aryan Shah on Court Two, 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Wake got another straight set win on Court Six with Joaquin Guilleme winnng 6-3, 7-5.
With the score now 3-2 in Wake's favor, it came down to the remaining two courts. Both of those not only went to third sets, but tiebreakers determined both third sets. It could not have been any more intense. Baylor ultimately won both courts.
Luc Koenig defeated Charlie Robertson on Court Five, 6-1, 5-7, 7-6(3). Then, on Court One, Devin Badenhorst won the tiebreaker over DK Suresh to win that match 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5).
What's Next for the Wake Forest Men's Tennis Team?
Wake Forest will play TCU, who lost its quarterfinal match to Texas, in a consolation round on Sunday afternoon. The Demon Deacons, though, get a chance at revenge, as they will host the Baylor Bears in Winston-Salem next Sunday, February 22.
Recommended Articles
Barry is the managing editor/publisher of both the TCU Horned Frogs On SI and Wake Forest Demon Deacons On SI sites. He oversees a team of 15+ writers, photographers, and podcasters covering all sports at both schools. He writes on football, basketball (men’s and women’s), baseball, men’s tennis, and other sports as needed. His weekly articles include ACC Power Rankings and Poll Watching during the football, basketball, and baseball seasons. Barry is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). He has covered the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, the 2023 College Football National Championship, the 2023 College World Series, the 2024 NCAA Men’s Tennis National Championship, Big 12 Football Media Days, and Big 12 Basketball Media Days. He is an avid sports fan and traveler, and he loves any opportunity to see a sporting event in person. He has been to 18 of the 30 MLB ballparks, experienced game day at 25 college football stadiums, seen 21 NFL stadiums, and been to 16 bowl games.