University of Georgia Athletics
University of Georgia
Vanderbilt
Bulldogs Sweep Commodores For Fifth Straight Win
March 11, 2023 | Men's Tennis
ATHENS, Ga. — The No. 7-ranked Georgia men's tennis team earned its fifth straight win Saturday, dispatching Vanderbilt 7-0 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. After winning the doubles point, Georgia won the first set in all six singles matches and rolled from there.
Georgia (10-5, 4-0 SEC) will try to make it six straight wins, and go 3-0 during its three-match homestand, on March 18, when the Bulldogs host No. 20 Tennessee. With Saturday's win, Georgia improved to 59-5 all-time against the Commodores.
Sophomore Thomas Paulsell, playing in his first match in more than a month, provided the clinching win at No. 6 singles. Paulsell dropped the first three games before taking command in a 6-3, 6-3 victory.
"Thomas did a great job," Georgia coach Manuel Diaz said. "He came out and was struggling to find his rhythm, but showed a lot of resolve and a lot of composure. He did a tremendous job, a very clean performance from him after that slow start. ... We need him, we need him to be ready, and today he did a tremendous job — and it was great that he clinched the match."
Vanderbilt (5-9, 1-3) got off to a roaring start in doubles, with the team of Siim Troost and Jeremie Casabon blanking Georgia's No. 11-ranked team of Ethan Quinn and Trent Bryde, 6-0, at the No. 1 spot. The Commodores had also been up a break of serve at No. 3, but the Bulldog duo of Blake Croyder and Britton Johnston rallied against Joubert Klopper and Macsen Sisam and broke back to draw even. Meanwhile, at No. 2, Georgia's Philip Henning and Teodor Giusca cruised to a 6-1 win over Michael Ross and Nathan Cox.
The winner at No. 3 would decide the doubles point, and the match was decided in a tiebreaker. Georgia won the first five points and closed out the set 7-6 (7-2), on Johnston's backhand volley winner, putting the Bulldogs ahead 1-0.
In singles, Georgia captured the first set in all six matches. And first off the court was the No. 2-ranked Quinn, who went from 2-all in the first set against Cox to a 6-2, 6-0 victory. Quinn won his match less than 30 seconds after Henning closed out a hard-fought first set at No. 2, 7-6 (7-5), against Klopper.
Croyder made it 3-0 Bulldogs soon after, beating Ross, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 3 singles. One win away from securing the victory, Georgia had a lot of candidates for the clincher. Giusca was up a break of serve in the second set at No. 4, Paulsell was up a break in the second at No. 6, and Perez Peña was at 3-all in the second at No. 5.
In the end, it was Paulsell that delivered. Facing Sisam at No. 6, Paulsell quickly dropped the first three games. He then won the next six to take the opening set. Paulsell efficiently took care of business in the second, closing out a 6-3, 6-3 victory for himself while putting Georgia in front 4-0.
Paulsell said he had "a little rust and a little nerves" at the beginning. He credited volunteer assistant coach Will Reynolds with helping him settle into the match.
"I just kept taking deep breaths and kept trusting myself, kept giving myself positive affirmations, and I just kept going. Kept my head down and playing point-by-point," Paulsell said.
When you're not playing in every match, Paulsell said, it's tough to stay sharp. "But when you have my teammates motivating me every single day, it's good, it helps a lot," he said.
The teams played out the remaining matches, with Giusca beating Troost, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 4; Henning beat Klopper, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, at No. 2, and Perez Peña prevailed 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) over Casabon at No. 5.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bulldogs on georgiadogs.com or by following the team on Twitter (@UGATennis) and Instagram (@ugatennis).
Results
No. 7 Georgia 7, Vanderbilt 0
Doubles
1. Siim Troost/Jeremie Casabon (VU) def. Ethan Quinn/Trent Bryde (UGA), 6-0
2. Teodor Giusca/Philip Henning (UGA) def. Michael Ross/Nathan Cox (VU), 6-1
3. Britton Johnston/Blake Croyder (UGA) def. Joubert Klopper/Macsen Sisam (VU), 7-6 (7-2)
Singles
1. #2 Ethan Quinn (UGA) def Nathan Cox (VU), 6-2, 6-0
2. #15 Philip Henning (UGA) def. Joubert Klopper (VU), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
3. #90 Blake Croyder (UGA) def. Michael Ross (VU), 6-3, 6-3
4. #101 Teodor Giusca (UGA) def. Siim Troost (VU), 6-4, 6-3
5. Miguel Perez Peña (UGA) def. Jeremie Casabon (VU), 6-1, 7-6 (7-3)
6. Thomas Paulsell (UGA) def. Macsen Sisam (VU), 6-3, 6-3
Order of Finish
Doubles: 1, 2, 3*
Singles: 1, 3, 6*, 4, 2, 5
Players Mentioned
