Tournament Central
ORLANDO – For the first time since 2014, the NC State men’s tennis program has a doubles team heading to the second round.
The duo of Rafa Izquierdo Luque and Joe Wayand defeated Jack Clements and Louis Delcour of South Alabama, 6-2, 7-5, on Wednesday.
Izquierdo Luque and Wayand will play the winner of the Duke/Georgia match up.
It’s just the fourth time in program history that a doubles duo advanced to the second round.
The 2023 tournament was the first time under head coach Kyle Spencer that two doubles teams made it to the championship.
Robin Catry and Luca Staeheli dropped their opening round matchup in straight sets to Alan Magadan and Sebastian Rodriguez of UTSA, 6-4, 6-4. Catry and Staeheli, who were ranked as high as No. 11 this season, end the year with 15 wins, which earns them a place in the school record books.
Catry and Staeheli dug themselves into holes early in both sets and came up short despite rallies.
Wayand and Izquierdo Luque entered the championships ranked No. 15 in the country. They showed they meant business early on, dominating the first set 6-2. Wayand and Izquierdo Luque jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the opening set to establish dominance.
They were battled tested by Clements and Delcour in the second set, but pulled away late for their ninth win of the season. It was their first win together since April 12. It was the third win this season over an opponent ranked in the top 100.
It’s not the first bit of tournament success for Wayand and Izquierdo Luque. In October they won the ITA Regional doubles title in Cary.
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