Michigan Begins Big Ten Play With Win Over Wisconsin

Michigan Begins Big Ten Play With Win Over Wisconsin

Site: Madison, Wis. (Nielsen Tennis Stadium)

Score: #5 Michigan 5, Wisconsin 2

Records: U-M (14-2, 1-0 B1G), Wisconsin (7-6, 0-1 B1G)

Next U-M Event: Sunday, March 26 — at Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.), Noon CDT

MADISON, Wis. — The No. 4-ranked University of Michigan men’s tennis team took a 5-2 win over Wisconsin in the Wolverines’ Big Ten conference opener Friday (March 24) at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.

Michigan dropped a rare doubles point to start the match, with Wisconsin taking an early lead with wins at Nos. 2 and 3. U-M’s lone doubles win came from the No. 8-ranked pair of Andrew Fenty and Gavin Young, who battled to a 6-4 win at No. 1.

Michigan took control in singles by winning first sets at Nos. 1-3 in addition to a win at No. 5. No. 10-ranked Fenty claimed the Wolverines’ first singles win as he secured a 6-3, 6-2 over Jason Hildebrandt at No. 2. Young, ranked No. 40, defeated Mihalio Popovic 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3 to give the Wolverines a 2-1 team match lead.

No. 14-ranked Ondrej Styler won 6-2, 7-5 over over Jared Pratt at No. 1 singles to improve to 16-3 on the season. At No. 6 singles, Michael Minasyan defeated Bjorn Swenson in two sets 6-4, 7-6 (4) to claim Wisconsin’s only singles victory.

At No. 5 singles, Nino Ehrenschneider defeated Gabriel Huber in three sets, winning the first 6-4 before Huber took the second 4-6. Ehrenschneider responded with 6-1 final set to claim his second singles victory of the season.

Jacob Bickersteth‘s match at No. 4 versus Sebastian Vile also went to three sets. Vile won the first set 5-7, but Bickersteth countered with 6-4, 6-3 sets to claim victory for himself and Michigan.

The Wolverines will be back in action on Sunday (March 26) when they travel to Lincoln for a noon CDT matchup against Nebraska.

Following are match-by-match results

Singles

No. 1 – No. 14 Ondrej Styler (U-M) def. Jared Pratt (UW), 6-2, 7-5

No. 2 – No. 10 Andrew Fenty (U-M) def. Jason Hildebrandt (UW), 6-3, 6-2

No. 3 – No. 40 Gavin Young (U-M) def. Mihailo Popovic, (UW) 6-2, 6-4

No. 4 – Jacob Bickersteth (U-M) d. Sebastian Vile (UW), 5-7, 6-4, 6-3

No. 5 – Nino Ehrenschneider (U-M) def. Gabriel Huber (UW), 6-4, 4-6, 6-1

No. 6 –…