Mitsui’s Comeback Fuels #5 Vols to 4-3 Win Over Vanderbilt

Sunday, April 10

Nashville, TN

1 PM

University of Tennessee

Vanderbilt

KNOXVILLE, TN - 2022.04.01 - Tennessee vs. Arkansas

Mitsui’s Comeback Fuels #5 Vols to 4-3 Win Over Vanderbilt

April 10, 2022 | Men's Tennis

Box Score Box Score

NASHVILLE – Down a set and a break, freshman Shunsuke Mitsui anchored down and executed a come-from-behind victory to clinch the fifth-ranked Tennessee men's tennis team's 4-3 road win over Vanderbilt Sunday afternoon.

With the match tied at 3-3, Mitsui, a freshman from Shizuoka, Japan, earned an ambitious 6-7(3), 7-5, 7-6(1) singles victory over Max Freeman on court four. After dropping the first-set tiebreak, Mitsui went down a break at 2-3 in set two and soon trailed 2-4 after Freeman held serve once more. After winning his next service game, Mitsui earned a much-needed break that tied the second set at 4-all. Later in the set, two consecutive aces from the freshman helped him take a 6-5 lead. That effort preceded a set-winning break as Mitsui won the final eight points of the set to send it to a third.

With Mitsui winning a service game to begin the third set, he had won 12 of 13 points over a three-game span. Mitsui and Freeman went back-and-forth in set three, with Freeman getting a break and Mitsui answering right back with a break of his own to tie the set at 3-3. The two would eventually enter a match-deciding third-set tiebreak scenario at 6-6, in which Mitsui asserted his dominance and closed the door on Vanderbilt's (14-9, 2-8 SEC) upset bid with a 7-1 tiebreak triumph, culminating a third set that lasted over an hour.

"We are very proud of Shun for his performance in that moment on the road," Tennessee associate head coach James McKie said. "He tries his absolute best every day and in every match. That's all we ask for as coaches. He's done an incredible job and we couldn't ask for much more."

Tennessee (18-6, 6-4 SEC) began the match by claiming the doubles point for a 16^th time this season. The Vols improve to 14-2 when winning doubles this year.

The Aussie duo and 79^th-ranked doubles pairing of Adam Walton and Pat Harper used a break on deuce point of the match's eighth game to take a 5-3 lead en route to an eventual 6-3 win over #76 Siim Troost and Michael Ross.

The doubles clinch was soon to follow, as the 19^th-ranked duo of Emile Hudd and Mitsui defeated the Commodores' George Harwell and Max Freeman, 6-4.

Tennessee junior Angel Diaz was the first to finish in singles action, overpowering Jeremie Casabon and dropping just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win. Minutes later, UT's #45 Hudd defeated Vandy's Marcus Ferreira in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.

After Tennessee took a 3-0 lead, the Commodores claimed singles wins on courts two, six and one to even the match at 3-apeice prior to Mitsui's clinch.

FRESHMAN PHENOM
Mitsui continues to excel in his debut season on Rocky Top. Following his singles and doubles wins, he improved to 18-3 (8-1 SEC) in dual singles matches this season and 28-7 overall in singles action, dating back to the fall. On the doubles courts, Mitsui enhances his record to 26-9 overall and is 8-3 (3-1 SEC) at No. 2 doubles with Hudd. Sunday marked his fifth match clinch of the season, which is tied for a team-best with Hudd.

HUDDY GETTING DUBS
Hudd, in his first season with the Big Orange, has now won five of his previous six singles matches, including Sunday's 6-2, 6-2 win on court two. The senior improves to 15-6 (7-3 SEC) and 24-8 overall in singles play this year.

UP NEXT
Tennessee returns home to close the regular season with matches against Alabama Friday and Auburn Sunday. Friday's first serve is tentatively slated for 6 p.m. ET, while Tennessee's Senior Day bout with Auburn will begin at 1 p.m. ET in Knoxville.

RESULTS
Doubles

1. #79 Adam Walton/Pat Harper (UT) def. #76 Siim Troost/Michael Ross (VANDY) 6-3
2. #19 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. George Harwell/Max Freeman (VANDY) 6-4
3. Mark Wallner/Johannus Monday (UT) vs. Macsen Sisam/Jeremie Casabon (VANDY) 3-5, unfinished

Order of Finish: (1,2)

Singles

1. #49 George Harwell (VANDY) def. #14 Adam Walton (UT) 7-6(6), 6-2
2. Joubert Klopper (VANDY) def. #5 Johannus Monday (UT) 6-3, 6-4
3. #45 Emile Hudd (UT) def. Marcus Ferreira (VANDY) 6-2, 6-2
4. Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Max Freeman (VANDY) 6-7(3), 7-5, 7-6(1)
5. Angel Diaz (UT) def. Jeremie Casabon (VANDY) 6-0, 6-1
6. Siim Troost (VANDY) def. Martim Prata (UT) 6-4, 6-3

Order of Finish: (5,3,2,6,1,4)