Men’s Tennis Downs Idaho State In Season Opener

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Men's tennis squad opened the spring 2022 season on Saturday at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center against the Idaho State Bengals. The Utes came away with two victories on the day over the Bengals. Utah took the first match 7-0 before winning the second match 6-1.
 
Utah 7, Idaho State 0 
The first match of the day started with doubles play, where the Utes took the doubles point after winning matches on courts one and two. Francisco Bastias and Bruno Caula were the first to finish, defeating their opponents 6-4 on court one. Shortly following the first victory, Franco Capalbo and Geronimo Espin Busleiman downed the Bengal duo 6-4 on court two. On court three, Jayson Blando and Rian Ta were tied 4-4, and their match remained unfinished.
 
The Utes then moved into single matches, where they faced some tough competition as courts one, five, and six went into third sets. Caula granted the Utes their second point on court four after downing Idaho State's Ege Cankus 6-2, 6-3. Espin Busleiman took the upper hand against the opposition on court three after his teammate's win, finishing 6-0, 7-5.
 
The match point came on court six, where J. Blando defeated Ethan Lye after three sets, for a final score of 6-0, 4-6, 6-1, and a victory against the Bengals. The other matches were played out, and on-court four Bastias awarded Utah with the fifth match point after downing his opponent 6-4, 6-4. The two final points came on courts one and five, where both Utes defeated their opponents in the third set. Capalbo finished 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(1), and Bruno Krenn finished 6-2, 3-6, 7-5.
 
Utah 6, Idaho State 1
In the second match of the day, Capalbo and Espin Busleiman came away with the first doubles victory of the second match. They came away with a 6-1 win in No. 2 doubles. The match was clinched when J. Blando and Ta came away with a 6-3 victory over Kiroki Fujita and Ege Cankus. Utah trailed in No. 1 singles, but it went unfinished.
 
Blando continued to dominate for the Utes in singles action. He was the first match done as he came away with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Ethan Lye. Blando's win put the Utes ahead 2-0. In a battle in No. 2 singles, Bastias came away victorious, making the Utes lead to 3-0. Biastias won his match 6-4, 6-2. Needing one more to clinch the match, Capalbo had a battle on his hands with Patrik Trhac. Capalbo came away with a 6-3 first set victory. The second set was back and forth, but Capalbo won 7-5, clinching the win for the Utes.
 
Caula and Espin Busleiman battled in No. 3 and No. 4 singles. Both lost their first sets in the second round of matches. Caula and Espin Busleiman bounced back, winning the second set, 6-4. Both matches went into a third set tiebreak, and Espin Busleiman won 10-5, while Caula bounced back, earning a 10-8 third set tiebreak victory.
 
Match 1 – UTAH 7, IDAHO STATE 0
Singles (4,3,6,2,1,5)
1. Franco Capalbo (UTAH) def. Patrik Trhac (IDAHO) 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(1)
2. Francisco Bastias (UTAH) def. Andreas Kramer (IDAHO) 6-4, 6-4
3. Geronimo Espin Busleiman (UTAH) def. Hiroki Fujita (IDAHO) 6-0, 7-5
4. Bruno Caula (UTAH) def. Ege Cankus (IDAHO) 6-2, 6-3
5. Bruno Krenn (UTAH) def. Patrick Kristensen (IDAHO) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
6. Jayson Blando (UTAH0 def. Ethan Lye (IDAHO) 6-0, 4-6, 6-1
Doubles (1,2)
1. Francisco Bastias/Bruno Caula (UTAH) def. Patrik Trhac/Patrick Kristensen (IDAHO) 6-4
2. Franco Capalbo/Geronimo Espin Busleiman (UTAH) def. Wikus Robbertse/Andreas Kramer (IDAHO) 6-4
3. Jayson Blando/Rian Ta (UTAH) vs Hiroki Fujita/Ege Cankus (IDAHO) 4-4, unf.
 
Match 2 – UTAH 6, IDAHO STATE 1
Singles (4,3,6,2,1,5)
1. Franco Capalbo (UTAH) def. Patrik Trhac (IDAHO) 6-3, 7-5
2. Francisco Bastias (UTAH) def. Andreas Kramer (IDAHO) 6-4, 6-2
3. Bruno Caula (UTAH) def. Hiroki Fujita (IDAHO) 3-6, 6-4, 10-8
4. Geronimo Espin Busleiman (UTAH) def. Ege Cankus (IDAHO) 3-6, 6-4, 10-5
5. Patrick Kristensen (IDAHO) def. Bruno Krenn (UTAH) 6-4, 7-5
6. Jayson Blando (UTAH0 def. Ethan Lye (IDAHO) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles (2,3)
1. Francisco Bastias/Bruno Caula (UTAH) vs.  Patrik Trhac/Patrick Kristensen (IDAHO) 4-5, unf.
2. Franco Capalbo/Geronimo Espin Busleiman (UTAH) def. Wikus Robbertse/Andreas Kramer (IDAHO) 6-1
3. Jayson Blando/Rian Ta (UTAH) vs Hiroki Fujita/Ege Cankus (IDAHO) 6-3
 
UP NEXT 
Utah hits the road for the next four matches as they head to Colorado, New Mexico, and California. The road trip starts in Denver against Denver University on Friday, Jan. 21, at 6 p.m. MT before playing at the University of New Mexico on Sunday at 12 p.m. MT.
 
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Fans can follow along during the 2022 season on social media (Twitter: @UtahTennis | Instagram: @UtahTennis | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahmenstennis).