No. 15 USC Men’s Tennis Takes Rare Loss To No. 19 Arizona

TUCSON, ARIZ. — The No. 15 USC men's tennis team took a rare loss to Arizona in a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the No. 19 Wildcats today in Tucson. The loss snaps a 15-match win streak for USC against Arizona, which last beat the Trojans in another 4-3 decision in Tucson back in 2006. USC goes to 13-5 overall and to 1-1 in Pac-12 play with th loss.

Today, USC had the first word in a 6-2 doubles win from #2 Daniel Cukierman and Riley Smith at the No. 1 spot. Arizona would pull off tiebreak wins on courts three and two next, leaving USC in a 1-0 hole entering singles. 

The Wildcats would move ahead 2-0 on Alejandro Requant's 6-0, 6-3 win over Mor Bulis on court four, only to see the Trojans road back into the lead on a string of three singles wins. Bradley Frye drummed up a 6-4, 6-4 win on court three over Filip Malbasic to net USC's first point of the day, and then #26 Daniel Cukierman pulled things even with a 6-2, 7-5 win on court one over #58 Jonas ZIverts. With three-setters raging on the remaining courts, Jake Sands hauled in a 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback on court six over Nick Lagaev to pull USC ahead 3-2. But the Wildcats weren't done. On court two, Arizona's #30 Gustav Strom topped #14 Riley Smith 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3 to snarl things up 3-3, and then Carloa Hassey came through with the clincher for the hosts on a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 decider over USC's #122 Lodewijk Weststrate.

Next, USC looks for some redemption on its Pac-12 road trip through Arizona. The Trojans visit No. 17 Arizona State on Sunday (March 28) at 1 p.m. PT  in Tempe.

#19 Arizona 4, #15 USC 3
March 26, 2021 | Tucson, Ariz.
DOUBLES
(1) #2 Cukierman/R. Smith (USC) def. Ziverts/Malbasic (ARIZ) - 6-2
(2) #74 Hassey/Reguant (ARIZ) def. Sands/Weststrate (USC) - 7-6 (1)
(3) Middleton/Horwood (ARIZ) def. Holt/Frye (USC) - 7-6 (6)
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Arizona wins doubles point.
SINGLES
(1) #26 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. #59 Jonas Ziverts (ARIZ) - 6-2, 7-5
(2) #30 Gustaf Strom (ARIZ) def. #14 Riley Smith (USC) - 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3
(3) Bradley Frye (USC) def. Filip Malbasic (ARIZ) - 6-3, 6-4
(4) Alejandro Reguant (ARIZ) def. Mor Bulis (USC) - 6-0, 6-3
(5) Carlos Hassey (ARIZ) def. #122 Lodewijk Weststrate (USC) - 6-1, 4-6, 6-4*
(6) Jake Sands (USC) def. Nick Lagaev (ARIZ) - 1-6, 6-4, 6-1
Order of finish: 4, 3, 1, 6, 2, 5*