#5 Vols Cruise to 6-1 Victory Over Georgia

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The fifth-ranked Tennessee men’s tennis team kicked off conference play with a dominant 6-1 victory over No. 43 Georgia on Friday night inside Goodfriend Tennis Center.
 
Tennessee (12-3) came back to win the doubles point against Georgia (4-5) after being down on all three courts. Shunsuke Mitsui and Filip Pieczonka, ranked 36th in the nation, defeated their first ranked opponent of the season, fighting back from a 4-2 deficit to rout the Bulldogs’ No. 37 pair of Ryan Colby and Niels Ratiu, 6-4, on court two. After being down 4-3, the eighth-ranked duo of Johannus Monday and Angel Diaz cranked out three consecutive points to beat UGA’s Thomas Paulsell and Freddy Blaydes, 6-4, securing the Vols’ one-point lead headed into singles play.
 
No. 82 Pieczonka was quick to take care of business at the No. 4 spot, rolling Ratiu, 6-1, 6-4, to record his 10th singles win of 2023-24. Apltauer served out a bagel in his second set to register a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Cyrus Mahjoob on court six. Seventh-ranked Monday delivered the clinching effort in 6-2, 6-3, fashion, taking down No. 54 Paulsell atop the lineup. 
 
Diaz followed on court five with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Blaydes, posting his 90th career dual match victory. At the No. 2 spot, No. 27 Mitsui battled to notch a straight-set win over 56th-ranked Colby, 7-5, 7-6(4). Georgia gained its only point of the night with a win on court three.
 
HUNGRY FOR AN APPLE?
Apltauer has dominated in his role, defeating his opponents in straight sets and serving a bagel in each of his last three matches. The freshman holds an overall singles record of 6-2 and is 7-3 in doubles play.

MONDAY VS. RANKED OPPONENTS

Monday has defeated eight ranked opponents in 2023-24, five residing in the top 50.

 

UP NEXT

Tennessee will host No. 47 Arkansas on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Barksdale Stadium.

 

RESULTS

Doubles

1. #8 Angel Diaz/Johannus Monday (UT) def. Freddy Blaydes/Thomas Paulsell (UGA) 6-4

2. #36 Filip Pieczonka/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. #37 Ryan Colby/Niels Ratiu (UGA) 6-4

3. Younes Lalami/Filip Apltauer (UT) vs. Miguel Perez Peña/Cyrus Mahjoob (UGA) 4-5, unfinished

 

Order of Finish: 2,1

 

Singles

1. #7 Johannus Monday (UT) def. #54 Thomas Paulsell (UGA) 6-2, 6-3 

2. #27 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. #56 Ryan Colby (UGA) 7-5, 7-6(4) 

3. #77 Miguel Perez Peña (UGA) def. Chris Li (UT) 6-3, 5-7, 10-5

4. #82 Filip Pieczonka (UT) def. Niels Ratiu (UGA) 6-1,…