University of Tennessee Athletics
Sunday, May 7
Knoxville, Tenn.
1 PM
University of Tennessee
4
vs
0
Wake Forest
Vols Sweep Wake Forest, Advance to Fourth Consecutive Super Regional
May 07, 2023 | Men's Tennis
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – It was a 4-0 Sunday sweep for the eighth-seeded Tennessee men's tennis, toppling Wake Forest in convincing fashion at Barksdale Stadium to advance to the program's fourth consecutive NCAA Super Regional.
On the doubles courts, Tennessee (23-7) won the doubles point for the 26th time in its 30 matches, picking up wins on courts three and one. UT's Angel Diaz and Martim Prata earned a second doubles victory in as many days, taking down Wake Forest's Melios Efstathiou and Juan Lopez de Azcona, 6-2, at the No. 3 spot.
The doubles clinch came from Tennessee's fourth-ranked doubles pairing of Pat Harper and Johannus Monday, picking up a ranked triumph over 27th-ranked Filippo Moroni and Matthew Thomson, 6-4, on court one. Down an early break at 0-2, Monday and Harper broke back in the third game to get back on serve before putting the Vols on the board, 1-0.
The Vols' 59th-ranked duo of Emile Hudd and Shunsuke Mitsui were on match point, leading No. 38 Jurabek Karimov and Luciano Tacchi on court two, 5-3, before going unfinished.
"We have a good team and good players," Tennessee head coach Chris Woodruff said. "Where we started back in February to where we are now, we're just trying to peak at the right time. In these sports like basketball, baseball and our sport, you just try to get rolling at the right time. We've got an experienced group of guys and so far we are doing well."
In singles action, Tennessee won five first sets over Wake Forest (26-12). Its three singles wins came at each of the top-three lineup spots. Tennessee increased its lead to 2-0 behind a dominant, 6-3, 6-0, singles win by Blaise Bicknell on court three over Matthew Thomson.
At No. 1 singles, fifth-ranked SEC Player of the Year Johannus Monday dominated from start to finish in a 6-1, 6-1, triumph over the nation's fourth-ranked Melios Efstathiou, the ACC Player of the Year. Monday won 66 percent of the match's total points, including 26-of-37 in the first set. To start the second set, Monday held serve on a deuce point to take a 1-0 set lead, before rolling to the win.
"I knew it was going to be a tough match," Monday said. "He beat me earlier in the season, so I wanted to get revenge. As a team, I think we were extra motivated for today because we lost to them earlier in the season."
The match clinch came on court two, as No. 31 Hudd roared past Filippo Moroni, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1. After dropping the opening set, Hudd won 60 percent of the combined points in sets two and three. Singles matches on courts four, five and six went unfinished.
SUPER AGAIN
With Tennessee's win over Wake Forest, it marks the first time since 2008-11 that the Vols have advanced to four consecutive NCAA Rounds of 16. UT has won 26 consecutive matches at the Knoxville Regional, advancing to at least the Round of 16 each of the previous 13 times it has hosted the NCAA first and second rounds, dating to 2000.
JO TO THE MO
Monday's straight-set win on court one over No. 4 Efstathiou improves his record over top-10 singles foes this season to 5-0.
UP NEXT
Tennessee faces eighth-ranked SEC foe South Carolina in Saturday's NCAA Super Regional match. First serve is slated for 3 p.m. ET from Barksdale Stadium.
RESULTS: Tennessee 4, Wake Forest 0
Doubles
1. #4 Pat Harper/Johannus Monday (UT) def. #27 Filippo Moroni/Matthew Thomson (WFU) 6-4
2. #59 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) vs. #38 Jurabek Karimov/Luciano Tacchi (WFU) 5-3, unfinished
3. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT) def. Melios Efstathiou/Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) 6-2
Order of Finish: (3,1)
Singles
1. #5 Johannus Monday (UT) def. #4 Melios Efstathiou (WFU) 6-1, 6-1
2. #31 Emile Hudd (UT) def. Filippo Moroni (WFU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-1
3. Blaise Bicknell (UT) def. Matthew Thomson (WFU) 6-3, 6-0
4. #117 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) vs. #98 Jurabek Karimov (WFU) 7-6 (7-2), 4-3, unfinished
5. Angel Diaz (UT) vs. Luciano Tacchi (WFU) 6-2, 0-6, 4-5, unfinished
6. Tomas Rodriguez (UT) vs. Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) 6-4, 2-6, 1-0, unfinished
Order of Finish: (3,1,2)
On the doubles courts, Tennessee (23-7) won the doubles point for the 26th time in its 30 matches, picking up wins on courts three and one. UT's Angel Diaz and Martim Prata earned a second doubles victory in as many days, taking down Wake Forest's Melios Efstathiou and Juan Lopez de Azcona, 6-2, at the No. 3 spot.
The doubles clinch came from Tennessee's fourth-ranked doubles pairing of Pat Harper and Johannus Monday, picking up a ranked triumph over 27th-ranked Filippo Moroni and Matthew Thomson, 6-4, on court one. Down an early break at 0-2, Monday and Harper broke back in the third game to get back on serve before putting the Vols on the board, 1-0.
The Vols' 59th-ranked duo of Emile Hudd and Shunsuke Mitsui were on match point, leading No. 38 Jurabek Karimov and Luciano Tacchi on court two, 5-3, before going unfinished.
"We have a good team and good players," Tennessee head coach Chris Woodruff said. "Where we started back in February to where we are now, we're just trying to peak at the right time. In these sports like basketball, baseball and our sport, you just try to get rolling at the right time. We've got an experienced group of guys and so far we are doing well."
In singles action, Tennessee won five first sets over Wake Forest (26-12). Its three singles wins came at each of the top-three lineup spots. Tennessee increased its lead to 2-0 behind a dominant, 6-3, 6-0, singles win by Blaise Bicknell on court three over Matthew Thomson.
At No. 1 singles, fifth-ranked SEC Player of the Year Johannus Monday dominated from start to finish in a 6-1, 6-1, triumph over the nation's fourth-ranked Melios Efstathiou, the ACC Player of the Year. Monday won 66 percent of the match's total points, including 26-of-37 in the first set. To start the second set, Monday held serve on a deuce point to take a 1-0 set lead, before rolling to the win.
"I knew it was going to be a tough match," Monday said. "He beat me earlier in the season, so I wanted to get revenge. As a team, I think we were extra motivated for today because we lost to them earlier in the season."
The match clinch came on court two, as No. 31 Hudd roared past Filippo Moroni, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1. After dropping the opening set, Hudd won 60 percent of the combined points in sets two and three. Singles matches on courts four, five and six went unfinished.
SUPER AGAIN
With Tennessee's win over Wake Forest, it marks the first time since 2008-11 that the Vols have advanced to four consecutive NCAA Rounds of 16. UT has won 26 consecutive matches at the Knoxville Regional, advancing to at least the Round of 16 each of the previous 13 times it has hosted the NCAA first and second rounds, dating to 2000.
JO TO THE MO
Monday's straight-set win on court one over No. 4 Efstathiou improves his record over top-10 singles foes this season to 5-0.
UP NEXT
Tennessee faces eighth-ranked SEC foe South Carolina in Saturday's NCAA Super Regional match. First serve is slated for 3 p.m. ET from Barksdale Stadium.
RESULTS: Tennessee 4, Wake Forest 0
Doubles
1. #4 Pat Harper/Johannus Monday (UT) def. #27 Filippo Moroni/Matthew Thomson (WFU) 6-4
2. #59 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) vs. #38 Jurabek Karimov/Luciano Tacchi (WFU) 5-3, unfinished
3. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT) def. Melios Efstathiou/Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) 6-2
Order of Finish: (3,1)
Singles
1. #5 Johannus Monday (UT) def. #4 Melios Efstathiou (WFU) 6-1, 6-1
2. #31 Emile Hudd (UT) def. Filippo Moroni (WFU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-1
3. Blaise Bicknell (UT) def. Matthew Thomson (WFU) 6-3, 6-0
4. #117 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) vs. #98 Jurabek Karimov (WFU) 7-6 (7-2), 4-3, unfinished
5. Angel Diaz (UT) vs. Luciano Tacchi (WFU) 6-2, 0-6, 4-5, unfinished
6. Tomas Rodriguez (UT) vs. Juan Lopez de Azcona (WFU) 6-4, 2-6, 1-0, unfinished
Order of Finish: (3,1,2)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
Melios Efstathiou / 0 (4/-) [WFU]
11
66
#2 Singles Match
123
Filippo Moroni / 0 [WFU]
611
266
#3 Singles Match
12
Matthew Thomson / 0 [WFU]
30
66
#4 Singles Match
123
Jurabek Karimov / 0 (98/-) [WFU]
630
74UF
#5 Singles Match
1234
Luciano Tacchi / 0 [WFU]
2650
604UF
#6 Singles Match
1234
Juan Lopez de Azcona / 0 [WFU]
4600
621UF
Order of Finish:
3,1,2
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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