#1 Vols Roll Past Old Dominion, 4-0

Friday, January 28

Knoxville, TN

1 PM

University of Tennessee

Old Dominion

KNOXVILLE, TN - 2022.01.12 - Tennessee vs. ETSU

January 28, 2022 | Men's Tennis

Box Score Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Strong doubles play set the tone for the No. 1 Tennessee men's tennis team in a 4-0 sweep over Old Dominion Friday afternoon.

Freshman Shunsuke Mitsui clinched match point for the Vols, his first time doing so since arriving in Knoxville.

The victory for the Vols (5-0) over the Monarchs (1-2) in the ITA Kickoff Weekend marks the fifth time in seven seasons in which Tennessee has begun the year with five consecutive wins.

"I told the guys this isn't about analyzing what we did well and what we didn't do well," head coach Chris Woodruff said. "It's about winning and now we move on. In tomorrow's match against Memphis, we'll go out, compete, give it our best shot and see what happens. Overall, the guys did well. We got off to a pretty good start today. It was probably the best start we've gotten off to all year. From that perspective, especially in the doubles, I was pleased."

After dropping the doubles point in each of the previous two matches, Tennessee flexed its muscle on the doubles courts Friday, with each UT pairing getting a break in the first game. On court one, Pat Harper and Adam Walton went up a pair of breaks on Old Dominion's Younes Lalami and Oliver Nolan and led 4-1 after five games, en route to a 6-1 win for the Aussie duo.

Court three in doubles action saw Johannus Monday and Martim Prata collect the win and clinch the doubles point for the Big Orange. The pair defeated Francois Le Tallec and Yevhen Sirous of Old Dominion, 6-2.

The sixth-ranked doubles pairing of Shunsuke Mitsui and Emile Hudd had their doubles match against the Monarchs' Luca Maldoner and Codie Van Schalkwyk go unfinished, leading 5-2.

"It's about getting off to a good start," Woodruff said. "That's all we're trying to do is get off to good starts. Today, we got off to a good start. I thought all three courts brought pretty good energy. Like I said, that was an improvement."

In singles action, UT took the first set on five of the six courts. #10 Monday collected the first victory for the Vols, giving Tennessee a 2-0 advantage with a convincing 6-1, 6-4 win over #91 Lalami on court two. An early break in the opening set for the sophomore built momentum that carried him through the remainder of the match.

Moments later, #51 Hudd earned Tennessee's third point of the match, winning 6-1, 6-1 over Van Schalkwyk. The Big Orange victory came when #125 Mitsui trounced Oliver Nolan, 6-1, 6-3 on court five. Singles matches for #39 Walton, Prata and Harper each went unfinished.

DOMINANT DOUBLES
Tennessee took control of Friday's match early with stout doubles play. The Vols have now won the doubles point in three of five matches to open the dual slate, getting a 'dubs dub' Friday for the first time since the ETSU season-opening doubleheader.

HE'S JUST A FRESHMAN?
With a match-clinching win on court five Friday, first-year Vol Shunsuke Mitsui improved to 5-0 in singles play this dual season, earning five straight-set wins to open the year. With singles matches from the fall season included, Mitsui is now 15-4 in singles during his first season on Rocky Top.

UP NEXT
The ITA Kickoff Weekend continues Saturday, with Tennessee facing in-state foe Memphis for the right to advance to the ITA Indoor National Championships. First serve Saturday is currently scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

RESULTS
Doubles

1. Pat Harper/Adam Walton (UT) def. Younes Lalami/Oliver Nolan (ODU) 6-1
2. #6 Shunsuke Mitsui/Emile Hudd (UT) vs. Luca Maldoner/Codie Van Schalkwyk (ODU) 5-2, unfinished
3. Johannus Monday/Martim Prata (UT) def. Francois Le Tallec/Yevhen Sirous (ODU) 6-2

Order of Finish: (1,3)

Singles
1. #39 Adam Walton (UT) vs. Luca Maldoner (ODU) 6-3, 3-3, unfinished
2. #10 Johannus Monday (UT) def. #91 Younes Lalami (ODU) 6-1, 6-4
3. Martim Prata (UT) vs. Yevhen Sirous (ODU) 3-6, 2-2, unfinished
4. #51 Emile Hudd (UT) def. Codie Van Schalkwyk (ODU) 6-1, 6-1
5. #125 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Oliver Nolan (ODU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Pat Harper (UT) vs. Oliver Tobisch (ODU) 6-2, 5-3, unfinished

Order of Finish: (2,4,5)