University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, March 25
College Station, TX
7 PM
University of Tennessee
4
at
3
Texas A&M
Photo by: Preston Jones/Tennessee Athletics
#4 Vols Complete Comeback to Defeat #25 Texas A&M, 4-3, as Woodruff Secures 100th Win
March 26, 2022 | Men's Tennis
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Overcoming an 0-3 deficit on the road, the No. 4 Tennessee men's tennis team battled back to secure a 4-3 victory over 25th-ranked Texas A&M Friday night.
In what was career coaching victory No. 100 for UT head coach Chris Woodruff, the Vols rallied for their fourth top-25 road win of the season and eighth overall top-25 win (8-5) of the year. Along with becoming the fifth UT men's tennis coach to reach 100 career coaching victories with the program, Woodruff also becomes the second-fastest of those five to reach the century mark, doing so in 128 matches. UT holds a win percentage of .781 since Woodruff took the helm at his alma mater.
Tennessee (15-5, 3-3 SEC) trailed 0-3 after Texas A&M (15-9, 3-2 SEC) took the doubles point and singles matches on courts five and six. Needing to win each of the remaining four singles courts, freshman Shunsuke Mitsui initiated the comeback. Playing at No. 3 singles for the first time in his Tennessee career, Mitsui rolled to a 6-3, 6-4 win on court three over Texas A&M's Guido Marson.
On court four of singles action, junior Angel Diaz claimed a key 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win over Matthis Ross to cut Tennessee's deficit to 3-2. Up 5-3 in the opening set, Diaz won on deuce point in the ninth game to take set one. Later, in the third set, he used a break to take a 3-1 advantage, before holding serve and earning another break to go up 5-1 in the third and eventually take the set 6-3. The win marks Diaz's fourth three-set win this spring.
The No. 1 singles slot saw Tennessee's #21 Adam Walton defeat #56 Noah Schachter of Texas A&M, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4. Walton used the momentum he earned by breaking Schachter in the second game of the third set to go up 2-0 in the third to his advantage down the stretch.
Tied at three apiece, all eyes were on court two of singles, as senior #40 Emile Hudd was concluding his come-from-behind win.
After receiving the highest singles ranking of his career Wednesday, Hudd clinched the match for the Vols, overcoming the Aggies' Raphael Perot in a three-set battle, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1. Hudd began the match by going up a break after just one game of the first set and would use three sets to secure the Big Orange victory. Hudd earned a key break on a deuce point to go up 6-5 in the second set. He used that energy to come back from down 15-40 in the opening game of set three and earn a crucial break that thrusted him to the eventual win.
Friday served as Tennessee's fourth win when dropping the doubles point this dual season.
YES, HE'S A FRESHMAN
Freshman sensation Mitsui improved to 5-1 in SEC singles matches this year, and reached the 25-win mark (25-7) overall in singles action. He also now holds a 15-3 record in dual matches, after his straight-set win over Marson Friday.
FOURTH CLINCH
Hudd's clinch on court two tied him for the team-high in that department this season, with four clinches this dual season. Mitsui also owns four clinches this year.
UP NEXT
Tennessee returns to action Sunday, facing No. 40 LSU on the road at 1 p.m. ET.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. Noah Schachter/Kenner Taylor (TAMU) def. #20 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) 6-3
2. Giulio Perego/Pierce Rollins (TAMU) def. Adam Walton/Mark Wallner (UT) 6-4
3. Stefan Storch/Austin Abbrat (TAMU) vs. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT) 5-5, unfinished
Order of Finish: (1,2)
Singles
1. #21 Adam Walton (UT) def. #56 Noah Schachter (TAMU) 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4
2. #40 Emile Hudd (UT) def. Raphael Perot (TAMU) 5-7, 7-5, 6-1
3. Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Guido Marson (TAMU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Angel Diaz (UT) def. Matthis Ross (TAMU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
5. Giulio Perego (TAMU) def. Martim Prata (UT) 6-2, 6-2
6. Luke Casper (TAMU) def. Mark Wallner (UT) 6-3, 6-3
Order of Finish: (5,6,3,4,1,2)
In what was career coaching victory No. 100 for UT head coach Chris Woodruff, the Vols rallied for their fourth top-25 road win of the season and eighth overall top-25 win (8-5) of the year. Along with becoming the fifth UT men's tennis coach to reach 100 career coaching victories with the program, Woodruff also becomes the second-fastest of those five to reach the century mark, doing so in 128 matches. UT holds a win percentage of .781 since Woodruff took the helm at his alma mater.
Tennessee (15-5, 3-3 SEC) trailed 0-3 after Texas A&M (15-9, 3-2 SEC) took the doubles point and singles matches on courts five and six. Needing to win each of the remaining four singles courts, freshman Shunsuke Mitsui initiated the comeback. Playing at No. 3 singles for the first time in his Tennessee career, Mitsui rolled to a 6-3, 6-4 win on court three over Texas A&M's Guido Marson.
On court four of singles action, junior Angel Diaz claimed a key 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win over Matthis Ross to cut Tennessee's deficit to 3-2. Up 5-3 in the opening set, Diaz won on deuce point in the ninth game to take set one. Later, in the third set, he used a break to take a 3-1 advantage, before holding serve and earning another break to go up 5-1 in the third and eventually take the set 6-3. The win marks Diaz's fourth three-set win this spring.
The No. 1 singles slot saw Tennessee's #21 Adam Walton defeat #56 Noah Schachter of Texas A&M, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4. Walton used the momentum he earned by breaking Schachter in the second game of the third set to go up 2-0 in the third to his advantage down the stretch.
Tied at three apiece, all eyes were on court two of singles, as senior #40 Emile Hudd was concluding his come-from-behind win.
After receiving the highest singles ranking of his career Wednesday, Hudd clinched the match for the Vols, overcoming the Aggies' Raphael Perot in a three-set battle, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1. Hudd began the match by going up a break after just one game of the first set and would use three sets to secure the Big Orange victory. Hudd earned a key break on a deuce point to go up 6-5 in the second set. He used that energy to come back from down 15-40 in the opening game of set three and earn a crucial break that thrusted him to the eventual win.
Friday served as Tennessee's fourth win when dropping the doubles point this dual season.
YES, HE'S A FRESHMAN
Freshman sensation Mitsui improved to 5-1 in SEC singles matches this year, and reached the 25-win mark (25-7) overall in singles action. He also now holds a 15-3 record in dual matches, after his straight-set win over Marson Friday.
FOURTH CLINCH
Hudd's clinch on court two tied him for the team-high in that department this season, with four clinches this dual season. Mitsui also owns four clinches this year.
UP NEXT
Tennessee returns to action Sunday, facing No. 40 LSU on the road at 1 p.m. ET.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. Noah Schachter/Kenner Taylor (TAMU) def. #20 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) 6-3
2. Giulio Perego/Pierce Rollins (TAMU) def. Adam Walton/Mark Wallner (UT) 6-4
3. Stefan Storch/Austin Abbrat (TAMU) vs. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT) 5-5, unfinished
Order of Finish: (1,2)
Singles
1. #21 Adam Walton (UT) def. #56 Noah Schachter (TAMU) 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4
2. #40 Emile Hudd (UT) def. Raphael Perot (TAMU) 5-7, 7-5, 6-1
3. Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Guido Marson (TAMU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Angel Diaz (UT) def. Matthis Ross (TAMU) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
5. Giulio Perego (TAMU) def. Martim Prata (UT) 6-2, 6-2
6. Luke Casper (TAMU) def. Mark Wallner (UT) 6-3, 6-3
Order of Finish: (5,6,3,4,1,2)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2
#1 Singles Match
123
666
Noah Schachter / 0 (56/-) [TAMU]
744
#2 Singles Match
123
576
Raphael Perot / 0 [TAMU]
751
#3 Singles Match
12
66
Guido Marson / 0 [TAMU]
34
#4 Singles Match
123
656
Matthis Ross / 0 [TAMU]
373
#5 Singles Match
12
22
Giulio Perego / 0 [TAMU]
66
#6 Singles Match
12
33
Luke Casper / 0 [TAMU]
66
Order of Finish:
5,6,3,4,1,2
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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