Men's Tennis Completes 4-2 Victory Over Louisville

MONTGOMERY, Ala. ?? Alabama’s Houssam Yassine took a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Louisville’s James McArthur on Friday morning to give Alabama a 4-2 victory over Louisville in the first round of the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic at the Lagoon Park Tennis Center in Montgomery.  Yassine’s victory completed a weather-delayed match that began on Thursday afternoon, but was suspended due to inclement weather with the Crimson Tide holding a 3-2 lead.

Play resumed Friday morning with Alabama leading at number six singles as the Yassine held a 3-1 lead in the third set.  Yassine quickly closed out the match to give the Tide the victory.  The victory enabled the Tide to advance to face North Carolina State later on Friday.

For the first time this season, the Tide did not win the doubles point. Louisville took a 1-0 lead by winning two of three doubles matches.  Alabama’s number one doubles team of Dan Buikema and Matthieu Thibaudeau started the day by defeating Louisville’s David Simon and Robert Rotaru, 8-4.  But the Cardinals rebounded to take the other two doubles matches.  Louisville’s Slavko Radman and James McArthur defeated the Tide’s Joseph Jung and Saketh Myneni at number two, 8-1, then the Cardinals took the doubles point in a tight match at number three, winning a tiebreaker, 9-8, as Damar Johnson and Chris Herrlinger edged Alabama’s Javier Bes and Billy Mertz.

The Tide regained the advantage heading into Friday’s resumption with a strong showing in singles, winning three of the first four matches completed.  At number three singles, Billy Mertz regained some momentum for Alabama with a strong 6-1, 6-0 decision over Louisville’s Robert Rotaru.  A short time later, Bama’s Javier Bes took a 6-2, 6-4 verdict over Louisville’s Kenneth Nordheim to give the Tide a 2-1 match lead. The Cardinals struck back to tie it at 2-2 when Slavko Radman took a tight match over Bama’s Sammy Struyf (7-5, 7-5).  The Tide took a 3-2 lead when Joseph Jung took a 7-5, 7-6 victory over Louisville’s Damar Johnson.

Fans can follow the action with frequent updates at www.bluegraytennis.com.

ALABAMA VS. LOUISVILLE

Thursday-Friday, March 15-16, 2007

at Montgomery, Alabama

SINGLES

1.  Slavko Radman (UL) d. Sammy Struyf (UA)               7-5, 7-5

2.  Joseph Jung (UA) d. Damar Johnson (UL) 7-5, 7-6

3.  Billy Mertz (UA) d. Robert Rotaru (UL)                      6-1, 6-0

4.  Javier Bes (UA) d. Kenneth Nordheim (UL)               6-2, 6-4

5.  Mathieu Thibaudeau (UA) v. David Simon (UL)       7-6, 4-6, (susp.)

6.  Houssam Yassine (UA) v. James McArthur (UL)     2-6, 6-4, 6-2

DOUBLES

1.  Dan Buikema-Matthieu Thibaudeau (UA) d. David Simon-Robert Rotaru (UL)  8-4

2.  Slavko Radman-James McArthur (UL) d. Joseph Jung-Saketh Myneni (UA)                      8-1

3.  Damar Johnson-Chris Herrlinger (UL) d. Javier Bes-Billy Mertz (UA)                                   9-8

ORDER OF FINISH: Doubles ?? 1, 2, 3; Singles ?? 3, 4, 1, 2, 6

-UA-

University of Alabama Athletics

Men's Tennis Completes 4-2 Victory Over Louisville

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