University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Tony Walsh/UGAAA
Bulldogs Come Up Just Short Against Demon Deacons
February 06, 2022 | Men's Tennis
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — In a matchup of top-10 teams, the Georgia men's tennis team fell just short to Wake Forest, 4-3, on Sunday.
Georgia showed grit and determination the whole match from losing the doubles point to coming back from a 1-3 deficit to tie the match. However, despite their best-efforts Wake Forest served Georgia its first loss of the dual season (4-1).
"An incredible fight by our guys. Tough to fight so hard and come out on the short end of this after such an awesome comeback," said head coach Manuel Diaz. "We were done but we didn't stop believing and competing. I'm proud of these kids. They are tough and resilient, and they will bounce back bigger and better."
Momentum did not start quickly for the Bulldogs as their Demon Deacon counterparts swiftly won the doubles point. In a Top-25 doubles match-up on No.1 between Georgia's No.21 doubles pair Trent Bryde and Philip Henning versus Wake Forest's No.19 Siddhant Banthia and Jakob Schaitter. Banthia and Schaitter won 6-1.
The Georgia doubles duo of Blake Croyder and Erik Grevelius have found their stride in dual competition lately however their play on Sunday lacked the same edge losing 4-6 to Robert Maciag and Ben Draper. Tristan McCormick and Hamish Stewart faced Eduardo Nava and Mathew Thomson, but their match was left unfished at 5-4 (Wake Forest).
Down 0-1 heading into singles, the Bulldogs hustled and picked up 4 first-set wins.
No.62-ranked Bryde got off to a roaring start winning the first-set 6-2 against Melios Efathiou. Nevertheless, Efathiou came back to win the second set 6-1, forcing a third and ultimately winning that 6-0. Wake Forest then took a 2-0 lead.
Coming off of his match-clinching performance against NC State Friday night, No. 110-ranked Croyder battled through three sets to win over No.100-ranked Taha Baadi, 6-2,1-6,6-3. Croyder has now won seven of his last 10 singles matches and is 2-1 against nationally ranked opponents. This win put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with the match now 2-1, Wake Forest.
At No.3 Georgia's No.32-ranked Stewart fell to Wake Forest's Nava 2-6,7-5. Wake Forest thus extended their lead 3-1. With three matches left to play the Bulldogs had to find some power to swing the momentum of the match.
In his first appearance at No.1 this season, Henning fought through a three-set match to give the Bulldogs their second singles win. No.23 Henning defeated the No.7-ranked newcomer of the year Jurabek Karimov and won 6-1,3-6,6-2. Henning is now on an eight-match win streak and has gone undefeated in singles so far in the dual season posting a 5-0 record.
With the Bulldogs behind 2-3 in the match, McCormick forced a third set and secured the win over No.75-ranked Filippo Moroni, 0-6,7-5,7-6(7-1). McCormick now advances to a perfect 5-0 in the dual season, 6 match win streak and has won seven out of his last 10 matches. McCormick's win tied the match 3-3 and it was all left to freshman Miguel Perez Peña.
In spite of winning his first set, Perez Peña could not hold off No.85-ranked Schaitter and lost 7-6(7-5), 6-7, 3-6.
Georgia takes to the courts again on Sunday, February 13 against familiar foe Georgia Tech in Atlanta at noon.
#10 Wake Forest 4, #7 Georgia 3
Singles Competition
1.#23 Philip Henning (UGA) def. Jurabek Karimov (WF) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
2.Melios Efstathiou (WF) def. #62 Trent Bryde (UGA) 2-6, 6-1, 6-0
3.Eduardo Nava (WF) def. #32 Hamish Stewart (UGA) 6-2, 7-5
4.Tristan Mccormick (UGA) def. #75 Filippo Moroni (WF) 0-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-1)
5.#110 Blake Croyder (UGA) def. #100 Taha Baadi (WF) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
6.#85 Jakob Schnaitter (WF) def. Miguel Perez Pena (UGA) 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
Doubles Competition
1.#19 Siddhant Banthia/Jakob Schnaitter (WF) def. #21 Trent Bryde/Philip Henning (UGA) 6-1
2.Eduardo Nava/Matthew Thomson (WF) vs. Tristan Mccormick/Hamish Stewart (UGA) 5-4, unfinished
3.Robert Maciag/Ben Draper (WF) def. Blake Croyder/Erik Grevelius (UGA) 6-4
Georgia showed grit and determination the whole match from losing the doubles point to coming back from a 1-3 deficit to tie the match. However, despite their best-efforts Wake Forest served Georgia its first loss of the dual season (4-1).
"An incredible fight by our guys. Tough to fight so hard and come out on the short end of this after such an awesome comeback," said head coach Manuel Diaz. "We were done but we didn't stop believing and competing. I'm proud of these kids. They are tough and resilient, and they will bounce back bigger and better."
Momentum did not start quickly for the Bulldogs as their Demon Deacon counterparts swiftly won the doubles point. In a Top-25 doubles match-up on No.1 between Georgia's No.21 doubles pair Trent Bryde and Philip Henning versus Wake Forest's No.19 Siddhant Banthia and Jakob Schaitter. Banthia and Schaitter won 6-1.
The Georgia doubles duo of Blake Croyder and Erik Grevelius have found their stride in dual competition lately however their play on Sunday lacked the same edge losing 4-6 to Robert Maciag and Ben Draper. Tristan McCormick and Hamish Stewart faced Eduardo Nava and Mathew Thomson, but their match was left unfished at 5-4 (Wake Forest).
Down 0-1 heading into singles, the Bulldogs hustled and picked up 4 first-set wins.
No.62-ranked Bryde got off to a roaring start winning the first-set 6-2 against Melios Efathiou. Nevertheless, Efathiou came back to win the second set 6-1, forcing a third and ultimately winning that 6-0. Wake Forest then took a 2-0 lead.
Coming off of his match-clinching performance against NC State Friday night, No. 110-ranked Croyder battled through three sets to win over No.100-ranked Taha Baadi, 6-2,1-6,6-3. Croyder has now won seven of his last 10 singles matches and is 2-1 against nationally ranked opponents. This win put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with the match now 2-1, Wake Forest.
At No.3 Georgia's No.32-ranked Stewart fell to Wake Forest's Nava 2-6,7-5. Wake Forest thus extended their lead 3-1. With three matches left to play the Bulldogs had to find some power to swing the momentum of the match.
In his first appearance at No.1 this season, Henning fought through a three-set match to give the Bulldogs their second singles win. No.23 Henning defeated the No.7-ranked newcomer of the year Jurabek Karimov and won 6-1,3-6,6-2. Henning is now on an eight-match win streak and has gone undefeated in singles so far in the dual season posting a 5-0 record.
With the Bulldogs behind 2-3 in the match, McCormick forced a third set and secured the win over No.75-ranked Filippo Moroni, 0-6,7-5,7-6(7-1). McCormick now advances to a perfect 5-0 in the dual season, 6 match win streak and has won seven out of his last 10 matches. McCormick's win tied the match 3-3 and it was all left to freshman Miguel Perez Peña.
In spite of winning his first set, Perez Peña could not hold off No.85-ranked Schaitter and lost 7-6(7-5), 6-7, 3-6.
Georgia takes to the courts again on Sunday, February 13 against familiar foe Georgia Tech in Atlanta at noon.
#10 Wake Forest 4, #7 Georgia 3
Singles Competition
1.#23 Philip Henning (UGA) def. Jurabek Karimov (WF) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
2.Melios Efstathiou (WF) def. #62 Trent Bryde (UGA) 2-6, 6-1, 6-0
3.Eduardo Nava (WF) def. #32 Hamish Stewart (UGA) 6-2, 7-5
4.Tristan Mccormick (UGA) def. #75 Filippo Moroni (WF) 0-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-1)
5.#110 Blake Croyder (UGA) def. #100 Taha Baadi (WF) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
6.#85 Jakob Schnaitter (WF) def. Miguel Perez Pena (UGA) 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
Doubles Competition
1.#19 Siddhant Banthia/Jakob Schnaitter (WF) def. #21 Trent Bryde/Philip Henning (UGA) 6-1
2.Eduardo Nava/Matthew Thomson (WF) vs. Tristan Mccormick/Hamish Stewart (UGA) 5-4, unfinished
3.Robert Maciag/Ben Draper (WF) def. Blake Croyder/Erik Grevelius (UGA) 6-4
Players Mentioned
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