Chidekh Drops Three Setter In National Fall Semis

SEATTLE – Another stellar tournament run came to an end today for Husky junior Clement Chidekh at the ITA National Fall Championships at the Barnes Tennis Center. The first Husky to make the semis in the event since 1999, Chidekh came up short in his semifinal match in three sets to San Diego's 28th-ranked August Holmgren. Also on Saturday, six Huskies found continued success at the Pacific Invitational in Stockton, Calif.
 
Chidekh was making his second-straight semifinal appearance in a national major, but so was Holmgren. Both men were in the final four of the season-opening ITA All-American Championships. Holmgren was able to make a second-straight final with a 6-0, 1-6, 6-3 win. Chidekh was also awarded with the Sportsmanship Award for the championship.
 
"Today's match was super tennis," said Head Coach Matt Anger. "The first set there were a lot of close games and August was able to pull them out. The second set Clement was just a fraction sharper and was pulling out the close games. Sometimes that lopsided score looks odd, but there was a lot of good tennis by both guys each set. Third set was the same, the difference was just one break of serve at 3-4. Clement barely missed a couple shots and August came up with a couple and that was the difference."
 
Chidekh put together an 11-3 fall season, with his only three losses coming to the champion of the All-American Championships, and one each to the two finalists at the National Fall Championships: Holmgren and Stanford's Arthur Fery. Chidekh and Fery met in the ITA Northwest Super Regional final, with Fery winning in three sets.
 
"If I take the time and look back on Clement's fall, obviously it's a high level," said Anger. "He's right there with the top guys in the country and the next step is to try and beat those guys and be the top guy."
 
Pacific Invitational
 
At Pacific's Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center, the Huskies continued with flighted play in singles and doubles, sweeping singles play against Cal Poly and then taking five of six singles matches against UC Davis, with two wins against the Aggies from Jack Pulliam.
 
The Mustangs pushed the Huskies to three sets in three matches, but UW pulled out all three. The only straight setter was Ewen Lumsden winning 6-4, 6-2 over Fernando Fonseca.
 
Jack Davis earned a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win over Bastiaan Weststrate. Freshman Nedim Suko pulled out a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (4) war with Hendrik Inno. And freshman Rikuto Yamaguchi outlasted Ben Keyser, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3. Cal Poly only had four singles players, so Jack Pulliam had a morning match with UC Davis' Cory Pham, and Pulliam also went three to win, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
 
Taking on the Aggies of UC Davis in the last round of matches for the day, the Huskies this time posted four straight-set wins. Davis, Suko, and Yamaguchi all won without surrendering more than three games in a set. Pulliam got a second win against UC Davis, this time beating Ryan Morgan, 6-4, 7-6 (4). The only loss came in three sets in the top flight where Lumsden fell, 7-6, 1-6, 6-3 against Andrei Volgin.
 
The Dawgs also took two of three doubles matches from Pacific. Davis and Brandon Wong were 6-4 winners, and Pulliam/Yamaguchi also had a 6-4 win.
 
Washington Men's Tennis
 
ITA National Fall Championships
Nov. 6, 2021
San Diego, Calif. | Barnes Tennis Center
 
Semifinals
(#28) [3] August Holmgren (USD) def. (#72) [1] Clement Chidekh (UW) – 6-0, 1-6, 6-3
 
Pacific Invitational
Nov. 6, 2021
Stockton, Calif. | Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center
 
Doubles vs Pacific
Davis/Wong (UW) def. Saini/Alam (Pac) – 6-4
Amar/Park (Pac) def. Lumsden/Suko (UW) – 6-2
Pulliam/Yamaguchi (UW) def. Puttergil/McCaig (Pac) – 6-4
 
Singles vs Cal Poly
Ewen Lumsden (UW) def. Fernando Fonseca (CP) – 6-4, 6-2
Jack Davis (UW) def. Bastiaan Weststrate (CP) – 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
Nedim Suko (UW) def. Hendrik Inno (CP) – 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (4)
Rikuto Yamaguchi (UW) def. Ben Keyser (CP) – 5-7, 7-5, 6-3
 
Singles vs UC Davis
Andrei Volgin (UCD) def. Ewen Lumsden (UW) – 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-3
Jack Davis (UW) def. Ryan Torres (UCD) – 6-2, 6-3
Nedim Suko (UW) def. Brett Brinkman (UCD) – 6-2, 6-3
Rikuto Yamaguchi (UW) def. Andras Necz (UCD) – 6-2, 6-2
Jack Pulliam (UW) def. Ryan Morgan (UCD) – 6-4, 7-6 (4)
Jack Pulliam (UW) def. Cory Pham (UCD) – 6-4, 4-6, 6-2