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Derrick Chen’s singles win gave Cal an early 2-0 lead against Utah.
SALT LAKE CITY – The No. 33 California men’s tennis team returned to form in doubles to take a 1-0 lead over No. 40 Utah on Sunday at the Eccles Tennis Center. But the Golden Bears wound up losing to their host, 4-2.
Derrick Chen won in singles for the Golden Bears, whose record fell to 9-7 (1-2 Pac-12). Utah – which has a 10-0 record in the high altitude of Salt Lake City – is 18-3 overall (3-1).
Siddhant Banthia and Carl Emil Overbeck led the Bears to a good start when they defeated the 26th-ranked Berk Bugarikj and Patrik Trhac, 6-4, at court-one doubles. A Cal loss on court three left court two to decide which team would win the doubles point, and the 64th-ranked Ryder Jackson and Lucas Magnaudet came through for the Bears when they beat Franco Capalbo and Geronimo Busleiman, 6-2.
Cal had won nine out of 10 doubles points before losing the doubles point vs. Arizona on March 18, at Pepperdine on March 25 and at UC Santa Barbara on March 26. The Bears now have a 10-4 doubles-point record.
Chen increased the Bears’ lead to 2-0 over Utah when he knocked off Bruno Caula, 6-1, 6-3, at court-four singles.
But Utah reeled off four straight wins – capped by Bugarikj’s 6-1, 6-7(6), 6-2 victory over Cal senior Philip Hjorth – to send the Bears to their fourth consecutive loss.
“It was another crazy one,” said Kris Kwinta, Cal’s Peter Wright Director of Men’s Tennis. “These are tough conditions here, and it’s a huge adjustment for anybody who comes from sea level. We prepared and thought we were ready, but this is their home turf, and they play better in these conditions. They’re very good at altitude.
“We did a good job of keeping the energy and spirits high. We were opportunistic in doubles, and I was super happy with winning the doubles point.”
The Bears conclude their regular-season home schedule when they host No. 26 UCLA on Friday at 1 p.m. and No. 10 USC on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Hellman Tennis Complex.
“We’re close and getting closer, and we’re staying close as a team,” Kwinta added. “Our spirits are high. We have an exciting week of work ahead and good opportunities next…
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