KNOXVILLE, Tenn., – Mississippi State men’s tennis fell 5-2 at No. 14 Tennessee on Friday.
The Volunteers were the seventh top 20 opponent the 12th-ranked Bulldogs have faced this season with Matt Roberts‘ squad now owning a 4-3 record in those matchups. It also marked the first time all season MSU has dropped back-to-back matches following their 4-3 loss at now No. 4 Kentucky this past Sunday.
Both of the Bulldogs wins came in singles after Tennessee (15-6, 5-2 SEC) had clinched the match. No. 108 Carles Hernandez rallied back against Blaise Bicknell 4-6, 6-4, 1-0[9] to earn his team-leading 21st singles win of the year.
Gregor Ramskogler finished off the evening with a straight-set triumph over Tomas Rodriguez 7-6(4), 6-3, marking back-to-back years the graduate from Reichraming, Austria has claimed a victory against the Vols.
Friday’s match started outdoors at Barksdale Stadium but was interrupted by showers while most courts were nearing the end of the first set of singles. Play was delayed over an hour and eventually moved inside the Goodfriend Tennis Center for the remainder of the match.
Three of State’s singles losses came against ranked foes. Second-ranked Johannus Monday topped No. 123 Nemanja Malesevic 6-1, 6-1, No. 57 Emile Hudd defeated Petar Jovanovic 6-1, 7-6(7) and No. 122 Shunsuke Mitsui won against Ewen Lumsden 7-6(5), 6-1. Angel Diaz also beat Benito Sanchez Martinez 6-3, 6-4.
A pair of Tennessee’s doubles pairings helped the Volunteers claim the doubles point earlier in the day. The No. 60 tandem of Hudd and Mitsui shutout the Bulldogs’ No. 74 team of Jovanovic and Lumsden 6-0 while second-ranked Monday and Pat Harper clinched with a 6-4 win against the No. 44 duo of Malesevic and Hernandez.
Mississippi State (16-5, 4-4 SEC) will conclude its four-match road venture at No. 52 Alabama on Sunday at 1 p.m.
No. 14 Tennessee 5, No. 12 Mississippi State 2
Barksdale Stadium & Goodfriend Tennis Center | Knoxville, Tenn.
March 31, 2023
Doubles
1. No. 2 Johannus Monday/Pat Harper (UT) def. No. 44 Nemanja Malesevic/Carles Hernandez (MSU) 6-4
2. No. 60 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. No. 74 Ewen Lumsden/Petar Jovanovic (MSU) 6-0
3. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT) vs. Gregor Ramskogler/Benito Sanchez Martinez (MSU) 4-5, unfinished
Order of finish:(2,1)
Singles
1. No. 2 Johannus…
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