No. 21 Alabama Defeats Harvard, 4-2, on Sunday

Sunday, January 27

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

1 p.m. CT

Alabama

Harvard

No. 21 Alabama Defeats Harvard, 4-2, on Sunday

1/27/2019 5:09:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score Results Photo Gallery

The Crimson Tide improves to 6-0 on the season

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 21-ranked Alabama men's tennis team claimed a tense doubles point before rallying past Harvard in singles play for a, 4-2, victory on Sunday at the Roberta Alison Baumgardner Tennis Facility. The Crimson Tide defended its unblemished record, improving to 6-0 on the season, while Harvard drops to 1-2.

"We came out firing, not only in doubles, but then in singles," head coach George Husack said. "Not for a moment did I take for granted that Harvard was going to put up a great fight. I'm really impressed by the level of maturity this team has taken on."

The day started off with a competitive doubles point, as courts one and two were tied early on. Juniors Edson Ortiz and Zhe Zhou moved past Harvard with ease, 6-3, while juniors Thibault Cancel and Alexey Nesterov battled back from a 3-3 tie to clinch the doubles point, 6-3.

In singles competition, sophomore No. 41 Patrick Kaukovalta had a quick start, but in the end fell in the final two sets, 6-0, 2-6, 2-6. 5. Harvard took home their final point of the day as Steven Sun outlasted Nesterov, 6-7(5), 2-6. The three remaining courts would all go the distance, with Zhou pulling through, 7-5, 6-4, and Ortiz finishing, 6-4, 6-4. Ending the day was senior No. 24 Mazen Osama who picked up a hard-fought 7-6(5), 6-3, win on court 1.

Next up, Alabama will remain at home to host Minnesota on Friday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. CT inside the Roberta Alison Baumgardner Indoor Facility. The match will be streamed live on RollTide.com.

Alabama Results

Doubles

Osama/Kaukovalta vs. Zhou/Weber, 5-5 uf
Cancel/Nesterov def. Morrow/Wrzesinski, 6-3
Zhou/Ortiz Shi/Lescky, 6-3

Order of Finish: 3, 2

Singles

No. 24 Mazen Osama def. Andy Zhou, 7-6(5), 6-3
Robert Wresinski def. No. 41 Patrick Kaukovalta, 6-0, 2-6, 2-6
Edson Ortiz def. Harris Walker, 6-4, 6-4
Thibault Cancel vs. Lucas Koelle, 6-4, 6-7 (8-10), 2-1 uf.
Steven Sun def. Alexey Nesterov, 6-7(5), 2-6
Zhe Zhou def. Constantin Zoske, 7-5, 6-4

Order of Finish: 2, 5, 6, 3, 1

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