University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, January 12
Knoxville, TN
1 PM
University of Tennessee
7
vs
0
Furman
#6 Vols Sweep Furman 7-0 in Season Opener
January 12, 2024 | Men's Tennis
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The sixth-ranked Tennessee men's tennis team entered the win column in its 2024 season opener with a 7-0 sweep over Furman on Friday afternoon at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
In his first dual action as a Vol, Chris Li clinched the match for Tennessee with a 6-0, 6-2 straight-set victory over Emil Westling on court four.
Tennessee (1-0) won the doubles point with wins on courts three and one. Johannus Monday and Younes Lalami took down Furman's (0-1) Cole Burnam and Leonardo Dal Boni, 6-1 at the No. 3 spot. On court one, Shunsuke Mitsui and Filip Pieczonka defeated the Paladins' Thomas Kennedy and Elijah Portizky by a score of 6-4.
Pieczonka gave UT a 2-0 lead, taking a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Furman's John Rado, winning 72 percent of his total return points in the process. Filip Apltauer quickly followed with a 6-3, 6-0 decision over the Paladins' Walker Allen on court six.
No. 20 Johannus Monday overcame Poritzky 6-4, 6-3 atop the lineup. Tennessee's 6-0 advantage came from No. 33 Shunsuke Mitsui's 7-5, 6-2 decision over Dal Boni. Younes Lalami rounded out the Big Orange sweep with a hard-fought 7-6(6), 6-4 win over Kennedy.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Four newcomers on Tennessee's 2024 squad debuted in the singles lineup against the Paladins – Younes Lalami, Chris Li, Filip Pieczonka and Filip Apltauer – all defeating their opponents in straight sets to start the season with a 1-0 singles record.
UP NEXT
Tennessee will face Penn (11 a.m. ET) and Tennessee Tech (3 a.m. ET) in a doubleheader on Jan. 13.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. #34 Shunsuke Mitsui/Filip Pieczonka (UT) def. Thomas Kennedy/Elijah Portizky (FU) 6-4
2. Angel Diaz/Chris Li (UT) vs. Ben Cahill/Emil Westling (FU) 5-4, unfinished
3. Younes Lalami/Johannus Monday (UT) def. Cole Burnam/Leonardo Dal Boni (FU) 6-1
Order of Finish: (3,1)
Singles
1. #20 Johannus Monday (UT) def. Elijah Portizky (FU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Younes Lalami (UT) def. Thomas Kennedy (FU) 7-6(6), 6-4
3. #33 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Leonardo Dal Boni (FU) 7-5, 6-2
4. Chris Li (UT) def. Emil Westling (FU) 6-0, 6-2
5. Filip Pieczonka (UT) def. John Rado (FU) 6-2, 6-0
6. Filip Apltauer (UT) def. Walker Allen (FU) 6-3, 6-0
Order of Finish: (5,6,4,1,3,2)
For the most up-to-date information about the program, follow Tennessee men's tennis on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.
In his first dual action as a Vol, Chris Li clinched the match for Tennessee with a 6-0, 6-2 straight-set victory over Emil Westling on court four.
Tennessee (1-0) won the doubles point with wins on courts three and one. Johannus Monday and Younes Lalami took down Furman's (0-1) Cole Burnam and Leonardo Dal Boni, 6-1 at the No. 3 spot. On court one, Shunsuke Mitsui and Filip Pieczonka defeated the Paladins' Thomas Kennedy and Elijah Portizky by a score of 6-4.
Pieczonka gave UT a 2-0 lead, taking a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Furman's John Rado, winning 72 percent of his total return points in the process. Filip Apltauer quickly followed with a 6-3, 6-0 decision over the Paladins' Walker Allen on court six.
No. 20 Johannus Monday overcame Poritzky 6-4, 6-3 atop the lineup. Tennessee's 6-0 advantage came from No. 33 Shunsuke Mitsui's 7-5, 6-2 decision over Dal Boni. Younes Lalami rounded out the Big Orange sweep with a hard-fought 7-6(6), 6-4 win over Kennedy.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Four newcomers on Tennessee's 2024 squad debuted in the singles lineup against the Paladins – Younes Lalami, Chris Li, Filip Pieczonka and Filip Apltauer – all defeating their opponents in straight sets to start the season with a 1-0 singles record.
UP NEXT
Tennessee will face Penn (11 a.m. ET) and Tennessee Tech (3 a.m. ET) in a doubleheader on Jan. 13.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. #34 Shunsuke Mitsui/Filip Pieczonka (UT) def. Thomas Kennedy/Elijah Portizky (FU) 6-4
2. Angel Diaz/Chris Li (UT) vs. Ben Cahill/Emil Westling (FU) 5-4, unfinished
3. Younes Lalami/Johannus Monday (UT) def. Cole Burnam/Leonardo Dal Boni (FU) 6-1
Order of Finish: (3,1)
Singles
1. #20 Johannus Monday (UT) def. Elijah Portizky (FU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Younes Lalami (UT) def. Thomas Kennedy (FU) 7-6(6), 6-4
3. #33 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Leonardo Dal Boni (FU) 7-5, 6-2
4. Chris Li (UT) def. Emil Westling (FU) 6-0, 6-2
5. Filip Pieczonka (UT) def. John Rado (FU) 6-2, 6-0
6. Filip Apltauer (UT) def. Walker Allen (FU) 6-3, 6-0
Order of Finish: (5,6,4,1,3,2)
For the most up-to-date information about the program, follow Tennessee men's tennis on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
Elijah Poritzky / 0 [FUR]
43
66
#2 Singles Match
12
Thomas Kennedy / 0 [FUR]
64
76
#3 Singles Match
12
Leonardo Dal Boni / 0 [FUR]
52
76
#4 Singles Match
12
Emil Westling / 0 [FUR]
02
66
#5 Singles Match
12
John Rado / 0 [FUR]
20
66
#6 Singles Match
12
Walker Allen / 0 [FUR]
30
66
Order of Finish:
5,6,4,1,3,2
Players Mentioned
/ 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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