Ty Tucker got something he never had before on Friday.
Entering the competition against No. 8 Vanderbilt, the Ohio State men’s tennis coach had never led his Buckeye players to a victory over a Top 10 team. That all changed as No. 16 OSU started the match strong, clinching the doubles point, and carried that momentum into the six singles courts. In the end the Buckeyes prevailed 4-3, with singles court No. 5 being the deciding victory.
“Winning the doubles point got us pumped up,” freshman Joey Atas said. “Everyone was fired up to play, and I think that is why we beat them.”
Friday was the start to a successful weekend for OSU as it continued its winning ways Saturday against No. 17 Alabama, dominating the Crimson Tide 6-1.
Atas highlighted the weekend by kicking things off in the singles courts both days as he played the No. 2 spot and was one of the first to finish his matches. His 8-0 record makes him the only undefeated Buckeye, who has played every match, in singles competition. The freshman put in efforts in doubles as well when he combined with senior Jeremy Wurtzman for an 8-6 victory Friday.
While Atas and Dennis Mertens were able to start a comeback after falling behind 7-3, they were unable to hold on as they fell 8-6 Saturday. It was the first defeat Atas had in a doubles court this season.
“(Mertens) and I probably didn’t play as well as we could’ve, but they played really well,” Atas said. “Losing that match, it just motivated me more to win (my singles match).”
By defeating Vanderbilt’s Matthew Lockin 6-1, 6-3, Atas became the first Buckeye in two years to beat him. Lockin was ranked No. 27 and was Atas’ second win over a ranked opponent.
“Atas is going to get a well-deserved ranking here shortly,” Tucker said. “Not only has he won the matches, but he has been the first guy winning a set against tough teams, and that helps other guys relax.”
The OSU tandem of Scott Green and Ross Wilson had the most climatic win Saturday against the No. 13 doubles team of Alabama’s Stephen Mitchell and Chris Gostek. Playing in court No. 1, Green and Wilson fell behind when they were broken on Green’s serve in the 11th game. Facing match game, the Buckeyes were able to break Alabama’s serve and get the game back. In the end, Green and Wilson held on to win the match in a tiebreaker.
“In the beginning of the match we weren’t making that many returns, but that picked up as the match went on. We got used to their serve and got a better feel for the game they were trying to play, so we were able to adjust our game,” Wilson said. “We stayed with it, and we fought and got the break back. I think that momentum really carried into the tiebreaker.”
Having lost in the No. 2 court the day before, the No. 38 doubles team used Saturday’s victory as a positive follow-up.
“It’s just good to get some good wins,” Green said. “(Friday) was a tough loss to a good Vanderbilt team. (Saturday) we got down, and then we came back and won, so it was a big momentum switch.”
No. 1-ranked Wurtzman played both days in the No. 1 court. He seemed calm and relaxed as he downed both his opponents in straight sets. On Friday he easily defeated No. 55 Chad Harris 6-2, 6-2. It was Alabama’s Stephen Mitchell and some controversial line calls which were able to frustrate Wurtzman.
After falling behind 3-1 on a break in the second set, Wurtzman fought back to take the match in a tiebreaker. In the first set he and Mitchell had traded breaks early, but in the end Wurtzman took the victory 7-5, 7-6.
Also winning singles matches for the Buckeyes over the weekend were freshmen Chris Klingemann and Devin Mullings, and sophomores Mertens and Wilson. Senior Brenton Contini played doubles in court No. 3 Friday and court No. 2 Saturday. Both times he was in the court that was the deciding factor for the doubles point, and both times his tandem won.
Mertens’ match in the No. 5 court Friday was the final point OSU needed to upset Vanderbilt.
The Buckeyes will not return to Jesse Owens West until March 27. On the road they will face No. 12 Virginia Commonwealth, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Penn State and Coastal Carolina.
