FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In its first true road match of the season, the Huskies took a tough SEC opponent to the limit, but fell just a few points short in a 4-2 loss at Arkansas. Dzianis Zharyn and Cesar Bouchelaghem each kept their undefeated dual seasons going with wins, and Nedim Suko was a game from victory when the Razorbacks won a 6-4 third set on court six to clinch.
Suko had produced a big turning point for the Huskies (4-2) when he rallied from a set and 4-5 down to win three games in a row and win his second set when Arkansas was a game away from finishing. After that, Zharyn completed a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win at second singles over Melvin Manuel at No. 2 singles, and Bouchelaghem completed a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles over Benedikt Emesz to make it 2-2 overall.
Arkansas moved ahead again with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 5 singles over Jim Hendrikx. Freshman Brett Pearson won his first set at No. 6 against Gerard Planelles, but was forced to a third set. Suko, meanwhile, was up a break in his third set, with UW needing both wins. Today it wasn’t to be, as Pearson dropped his third, 4-6, suspending Suko’s match against Adrien Burdet when he led, 5-3.
The doubles point loomed large, as the Huskies had a match point chance in a tiebreak at second doubles that would have given them the point, but Arkansas saved it and pulled out the 7-6 (9-7) win at the No. 2 spot to clinch. Washington had got a win at No. 3 doubles, 7-5, from Hendrikx and Han-Chih Lin, while Arkansas had a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles over Bouchelaghem/Zharyn.
Washington will have a day to travel to its next destination, another big road chance at Oklahoma State on Sunday at 9 a.m. Pacific.
Washington Men’s Tennis
February 10, 2023
Fayetteville, Ark. | Billingsley Tennis Center
Washington – 2
Arkansas – 4
Singles
1. Stefanos Savva (Ark) def. Han-Chih Lin (UW) – 6-2, 6-1
2. Dzianis Zharyn (UW) def. Melvin Manuel (Ark) – 7-6 (4), 6-4
3. Cesar Bouchelaghem (UW) def. Benedikt Emesz (Ark) – 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. Nedim Suko (UW) vs. Adrien Burdet (Ark) – 3-6, 7-5, 5-3, DNF
5. Alan Sau Franco (Ark) def. Jim Hendrikx (UW) – 6-3, 6-3
6. Gerard Planelles (Ark) def. Brett Pearson (UW) – 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 2, 3, 6
Doubles
1. Manuel/Burdet (Ark) def. Zharyn/Bouchelaghem (UW) – 6-4
2. Sau Franco/Savva (Ark) def. Suko/Pearson (UW) – 7-6 (7)
3. Lin/Hendrikx (UW) def. Sweeney/Mosvold (Ark) – 7-5
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
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