Kentucky Slips Past No. 13 Duke, 4-3

Sunday, January 17

Durham, N.C.

1:00 PM

Duke University

Kentucky

Kentucky Slips Past No. 13 Duke, 4-3

1/17/2016 4:32:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – The 13th-ranked Duke men's tennis team fell a tiebreaker short of an opening weekend sweep as Kentucky earned a 4-3 victory on Sunday afternoon at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center.

A tightly contested doubles point swung Duke's way in the tiebreaker, but a third-set tiebreaker went in Kentucky's favor in the clinching singles match. The Blue Devils captured all three doubles matches, two in tiebreakers, to get the first point of the day. Kentucky clinched the match in a third-set tiebreaker on court five to earn the victory.

“We did some good things and fought hard,” head coach Ramsey Smith said. “We had a couple courts where I thought we did a lot of really, really good things. We're a couple points away from winning that match and feeling great. Overall, we made some progress this week. We certainly have some work to do.”

Duke swept the doubles action for the second straight contest, but this time in tight fashion as two of the three matches went into the tiebreaker. Capturing the first victory was senior Josh Levine and freshman Ryan Dickerson on court two as the Duke duo used a late break against Ryotaro Matsumura and Enzo Wallart to take a 7-5 victory. Levine and Dickerson broke the Wildcat pair in the third game to go up 2-1 and then 3-1, but Kentucky clawed its way back with a break to even the set at 4-4. Matsumura and Wallart then held to take their first lead at 5-4. The Blue Devils then held and managed a break before serving out for the set victory. Dickerson and Levine improved to 3-2 this year.

It was a big comeback on court one that allowed Duke to capture the doubles point as sophomore Nicolas Alvarez and freshman Vincent Lin rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to Kentucky's Nils Ellefsen and Kevin Lai to win the set 7-6 (5). Duke was broken twice in the first three games to fall behind 3-0 before breaking and holding to cut the deficit to 3-2. Kentucky answered with a win to make it a 4-2 advantage before Duke held and broke again to knot the match at 4-4. The two teams held service games and were tied at 6-6 heading to the tiebreaker. With the tiebreaker even at 3-3, Duke won three consecutive points to push the lead to 6-3. Kentucky answered right back with two points on its serves, but the Blue Devils claimed the final point as a Wildcat return went into the net. Alvarez and Lin remain undefeated together at 2-0.

The second tiebreaker also went in favor of Duke, with an impressive comeback in the tiebreaker, as junior TJ Pura and freshman Catalin Mateas picked up a 7-6 (7) win against William Bushamuka and Charles Minc. Pura and Mateas led 2-1 before breaking and holding to take a 4-1 lead. Bushamuka and Minc answered right back with three straight wins to even the set at 4-4. The two teams were tied at 5-5 and 6-6 and moved to the tiebreaker. Kentucky got out to 3-0 and 5-1 leads before Pura and Mateas began the comeback. The two captured three straight points to trail 5-4. Kentucky picked up the next point for a match point opportunity up 6-4, but Duke captured the next two to knot the tiebreaker at 6-6. The teams were tied 7-7 before the Blue Devils recorded the final two points for the win. Pura and Meteas are 2-0 this year.

“The doubles point was obviously extremely intense,” Smith said. “There were a lot of pressure situations on all three courts and we were able to come through. That was a big positive. Kentucky bounced back extremely well.”

In singles, Kentucky quickly evened the match at 1-1 overall with a 6-2, 6-2 victory on court three by No. 117 Ellefsen against Lin. In the opening set, the two were even at 2-2 before Ellefsen strung together four straight wins to close the set. The second set had Ellefsen stretch his winning streak to eight consecutive games as he led 4-0. Lin bounced back with two service game wins to close the gap to 5-2, but Ellefsen served out for the win. Lin dips to 9-7 overall and 1-1 in dual matches.

Duke regained the lead as freshman Adrian Chamdani took a 6-4, 6-4 victory against Austin Hussey on court six. In Chamdani's first career match, he used a break at 1-1 to take a 3-1 lead in the first set against Hussey. Hussey answered with consecutive wins to even the set at 3-3. Chamdani broke again and held to go up 5-3. Hussey got a game back, but Chamdani served out for the first set victory. In the second set, the two were tied at 2-2 before Chamdani broke and won his service game for a 4-2 advantage. The two alternated wins during the final four games for Chamdani's victory. Chamdani improved to 8-7 overall with his first career dual match triumph.

“Adrian was very impressive today,” Smith said. “He didn't play the first match and wasn't in the lineup to begin with. He got in and played a guy who made a lot of balls. Adrian stepped up. I was encouraged with him.”

Kentucky knotted the match again as Pura dropped a 6-1, 6-4 decision to Matsumura on court two. Pura fell behind 4-0 in the opening set and got a game back on a break, but Matsumura won the last two for the win. In the second set, the two were tied at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4 before Matsumura broke and held to earn the victory. Pura is now 6-5 this season.

Seconds later, the Wildcats took their first lead at 3-2 with a Bushamuka upset of Alvarez on court one, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Alvarez, the No. 12 player in the country, was broken by Bushamuka in the first set to fall behind 4-2. Bushamuka, ranked No. 79, held and broke again to end the set. In the second set, Alvarez was broken again to fall behind 3-1 and then 4-1. He rallied with three straight wins to even the set at 4-4. The two were tied at 5-5 and 6-6 and headed to the tiebreaker. Alvarez got off to a quick start in the tiebreaker, going up 3-0. Bushamuka answered in a big way with five consecutive points. Alvarez responded again, taking two points to knot the tiebreaker at 5-5. Bushamuka then secured the final two points for the win.

Kentucky clinched the match with Wallart taking a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1) win against Levine on court five. In the opening set, Levine fell behind 2-0 and 3-1 before running off five consecutive games. In the second set, it was Wallart who went on a late run, snapping a 2-2 tie with four straight triumphs. The third set had Levine open up a 2-0 lead, only to have Wallart answer to knot the set at 2-2 and 3-3. Levine held on his serve to go up 4-3 and then broke Wallart to take a 5-3 lead and serve for the decision. Wallart, however, broke back to make it a 5-4 deficit and then even it at 5-5. The two were tied at 6-6 and headed to the tiebreaker, where Levine took the first point before Wallart ran off six straight to end the match. Levine is now 8-5 this year.

Mateas halted the Wildcat point run and made it a 4-3 final with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win against Trey Yates on court four. In the first set, the two were even at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and 4-4 before Mateas took a 5-4 advantage in his service game. He then broke Yates to end the set. In the second set, it was Yates who earned the break, going ahead 2-1, holding and breaking again to go up 4-1. Mateas broke back and held to cut the deficit to 4-3, but Yates took two of the last three games to force a deciding third set. In the final set, Mateas led 2-1 before a Yates return hit the top of the net and rolled back to his side for a Mateas break and 3-1 advantage. Mateas held on his serve to take a commanding 4-1 advantage. Mateas led 5-2 before Yates won a final game. Mateas held on his serve to end the match. Mateas is now 2-0 this season.

“I thought Catalin looked very comfortable out there,” Smith added. “I wish it had come down to him. Josh has won so many big matches for us and lost a tough one today. I have full confidence that Josh is going to win that match the majority of the time. From a freshman standpoint, I thought it was a great weekend.”

Duke returns to action Saturday with the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. The Blue Devils will host a regional site and welcome No. 21 California, No. 22 San Diego and No. 25 Vanderbilt to Durham. Duke plays California at noon Saturday while Vanderbilt and San Diego begin at 9 a.m.

Kentucky 4, #13 Duke 3
Jan. 17, 2016 at Durham, N.C. (Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center)

Doubles competition
1. Nicolas Alvarez/Vincent Lin (DU) def. Nils Ellefsen/Kevin Lai (UK) 7-6 (5)
2. Josh Levine/Ryan Dickerson (DU) def. Ryotaro Matsumura/Enzo Wallart (UK) 7-5
3. Catalin Mateas/TJ Pura (DU) def. William Bushamuka/Charles Minc (UK) 7-6 (7)

Singles competition
1. No. 79 William Bushamuka (UK) def. No. 12 Nicolas Alvarez (DU) 6-2, 7-6 (5)
2. Ryotaro Matsumura (UK) def. No. 102 TJ Pura (DU) 6-1, 6-4
3. No. 117 Nils Ellefsen (UK) def. Vincent Lin (DU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Catalin Mateas (DU) def. Trey Yates (UK) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
5. Enzo Wallart (UK) def. Josh Levine (DU) 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1)
6. Adrian Chamdani (DU) def. Austin Hussey (UK) 6-4, 6-4