Huskies Take Doubles Point But Fall To No. 1 OSU

ITA NATIONAL TEAM INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Friday, Feb. 18 - Monday, Feb. 21
Nordstrom Tennis Center and Seattle Tennis Club

Tournament Home Page (Bracket, Live Score Links, Live Video Links)

Admission: Tickets are $10 per day at the Nordstrom Tennis Center or $25 for the full tournament. Students and children are free.

Consolation Play
Saturday, Feb. 19
(16) Washington vs. (9) Georgia, 6:30 p.m., Nordstrom
Live Scores | Live Video

SEATTLE – The Husky men's tennis team had been waiting to test itself against the best, and though it didn't get the win tonight, there were plenty of positives to take away from what was an electric atmosphere at the Nordstrom Tennis Center. Washington won the doubles point with consecutive upset wins over the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked doubles teams in the country, but Ohio State, also the No. 1-ranked overall team, came back to earn the 4-1 win in the first round of ITA National Team Indoors.
 
Washington's match was the fourth and final of a 12-hour day of tennis at the Nordstrom. It was standing room only, especially during doubles play between the Huskies (8-1) and Buckeyes (9-0). The Huskies fed off the crowd energy in doubles, as Jack Davis and Brandon Wong upset No. 1-ranked Vocel/Cash at the top spot, 6-3. Ohio State had a 6-1 win at third doubles, leaving the point up to the second match, where Clement Chidekh and Nedim Suko were facing second-ranked Boulais/Trotter. Chidekh and Suko had match points at 5-4 but the Buckeyes saved them and forced a tiebreaker. But there it was all Huskies, as they won it, 7-2, to clinch the point for the 1-0 lead.
 
Ohio State answered back with three quick first sets at four, five, and six singles, but UW then began to assert itself once again. No. 2-ranked Chidekh rallied from 2-5 down to win his first set in a tiebreak against sixth-ranked Matej Vocel, in a top-10 showdown. Jack Davis won his first set at No. 3 singles and Ewen Lumsden was on serve in his first set at 4-5.
 
But OSU closed out straight set wins at No. 4 and No. 5 singles, with Han-Chih Lin and Nedim Suko both falling to top-40 singles players, showing OSU's depth in the rankings. Lumsden ultimately fell just short in both his sets at No. 2 singles against 16th-ranked Cannon Kingsley, 6-4, 6-4, which made it 3-1 Buckeyes.
 
Davis served for his match at No. 3 singles but couldn't fully close the door, and Jake Van Emburgh came back for a 1-6, 7-5, 6-1 win to clinch the match.
 
Chidekh also was at 5-5 in his second set with Vocel when the match ended. Washington also led on court six, where Cesar Bouchelaghem was stopped short of what would have been his most impressive win yet. The freshman went down quickly in his first set, 0-6, to Robert Cash, but then won set two, 6-4, and was up a break at 4-2 in the third set.
 
"This is what we've been preparing for," said Head Coach Matt Anger. "We've been preparing to play our best tennis against the best. They're a very tough team from top to bottom. There are no weak spots. I was happy we got started well (in doubles). Even third doubles I thought we were closer there, but first and second doubles we hung tough and survived tough games. There were ups and downs in singles. It was a great experience for our freshmen. There were a couple where we can take an extra step. Clement and Jack are upperclassmen and they got a foot ahead of their guys and we need to go the extra step to put those points on the board."
 
The Huskies will now be in consolation play the next two days, but with plenty of opportunities for an early season defining win. Tomorrow they take on No. 9 Georgia again at the Nordstrom Tennis Center at 6:30 p.m.
 
"The atmosphere was fantastic tonight," said Anger. "I'm thrilled with the turnout and the enthusiasm. I know there were some other athletes that were here, which is great. I know our guys support some of the other teams and I really appreciate that. I was also happy that I think the word is out there that our team has jumped up. Around the clubs and the town I think there's positive talk about our present and our future. I think it's good for people to see that and we'll be back at it tomorrow night."
 
 
Washington Men's Tennis
ITA National Team Indoor Championships – First Round
February 18, 2022
Nordstrom Tennis Center | Seattle, Wash.
 
Washington – 1
No. 1 Ohio State – 4
 
Singles
1. (#2) Clement Chidekh (UW) vs. (#6) Matej Vocel (OSU) – 7-6 (5), 5-5, DNF
2. (#16) Cannon Kingsley (OSU) def. Ewen Lumsden (UW) – 6-4, 6-4
3. Jake Van Emburgh (OSU) def. Jack Davis (UW) – 1-6, 7-5, 6-1
4. (#11) JJ Tracy (OSU) def. Han-Chih Lin (UW) – 6-1, 6-2
5. (#36) James Trotter (OSU) def. Nedim Suko (UW) – 6-1, 6-2
6. Cesar Bouchelaghem (UW) vs. Robert Cash (OSU) – 0-6, 6-4, 4-2, DNF
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 2, 3
 
Doubles
1. Davis/Wong (UW) def. (#1) Vocel/Cash (OSU) – 6-3
2. Chidekh/Suko (UW) def. (#2) Boulais/Trotter (OSU) – 7-6 (2)
3. Kingsley/Tracy (OSU) def. Bouchelaghem/Lumsden (UW) – 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2