Blue Devils Fall to No. 11 Wake Forest, 4-0

Sunday, April 11

Durham, N.C.

1 p.m.

Duke University

Wake Forest

Blue Devils Fall to No. 11 Wake Forest, 4-0

4/11/2021 5:26:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

DURHAM – No. 11 Wake Forest defeated No. 38 Duke, 4-0, on Sunday afternoon at the Ambler Tennis Stadium.

The Demon Deacons improve to 25-5 on the year and 10-1 in ACC action, while the Blue Devils dip to 9-9 and 4-5, respectively.

Despite the outcome, Duke pushed its top-15 opponent to the brink, beginning with doubles play. Matthew Thomson and Siddhant Banthia bested Luca Keist and Faris Khan on court two, 6-2, to kick off the day. Fortunately, Garrett Johns and Andrew Dale, who were playing together for the first time this season, answered with a victory on court three after they defeated Melios Efstathiou and Taha Baadi, 6-3. With the doubles point coming down to the outcome on court one, Michael Heller and Andrew Zhang battled No. 13 ranked Eduardo Nava and Henri Squire, but the visitors were able to outlast the Blue Devils 7-5 to secure the doubles point.

No. 53 Nava then bested Keist in singles action 6-3, 6-2 to extend the Demon Deacons lead to 2-0. Shortly after that, Rrezart Cungu registered a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Khan to put Wake Forest one win away from clinching the match.

Heller tried to extend the content for Duke when he took his opponent Filippo Moroni into a tiebreak situation in the second set. Unfortunately, Moroni would go on to record the 7-6 (2) tiebreak win after a 6-3 victory in the opening set to secure the overall victory for Wake Forest.

Three matches went unfinished on the day. No. 115 Johns and No. 13 Henri Squire were knotted at 1-1 on the main court after Johns won set one 6-3 and Squire survived in set two in tiebreak fashion 7-6 (2). No. 119 Zhang defeated Taha Baadi, 6-4, on court two in his opening set but was trailing 5-4 when the match was halted. Finally, Dale beat Banthia on court five, 6-4, in set one but fell during the second set 7-5. The third set for both Johns and Dale did not begin prior to Wake Forest clinching the match.

Duke closes out its 2021 home schedule when it welcomes Florida State and Miami on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The Blue Devils face off against the Seminoles on Friday at 3 p.m. before welcoming the Hurricanes on Saturday at noon. Both matches will be played at Ambler Tennis Stadium, pending weather. Fans will be able to follow the action via live stats and live video.

RESULTS
Singles (3,4,6*)
1. #115 Garrett Johns (DU) vs. #13 Henri Squire (WF) 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), unfinished
2. #119 Andrew Zhang (DU) vs. Taha Baadi (WF) 6-4, 4-5, unfinished
3. #53 Eduardo Nava (WF) def. Luca Keist (DU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Rrezart Cungu (WF) def. Faris Khan (DU) 6-4, 6-1
5. Andrew Dale (DU) vs. Siddhant Banthia (WF) 6-4, 5-7, unfinished
6. Filippo Moroni (WF) def. Michael Heller (DU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)

Doubles (2,3,1*)
1. #13 Eduardo Nava/Henri Squire (WF) def. Michael Heller/Andrew Zhang (DU) 7-5
2. Matthew Thomson/Siddhant Banthia (WF) def. Luca Keist/Faris Khan (DU) 6-2
3. Garrett Johns/Andrew Dale (DU) def. Melios Efstathiou/Taha Baadi (WF) 6-3

#GoDuke