After dropping the doubles point, the fourth-ranked Georgia Bulldog men’s tennis team returned with six singles wins to top Florida Atlantic 6-1 at the USTA National Campus on Thursday.
“It was a good win against a quality FAU team,” Georgia head coach Manuel Diaz said. “Coach Gonzalez has really done a nice job with that program and it has been great to watch him grow and develop his team. Our guys got off to a slow start in doubles but credit to our team for fighting back and pulling out the win with some strong play in singles. We are excited to get back out here tomorrow and play in front of a great Georgia crowd both here and on television.”
Florida Atlantic (4-3) took the doubles point with victories on courts one and three. On the third court, Ignacio Garcia and Arthur Stefani defeated sophomore Nathan Ponwith and redshirt senior Paul Oosterbaan, 6-2. The eighth-ranked junior/sophomore duo of Jan Zielinski and Robert Loeb dropped its first match in spring action to Remi Chancerel and Gabriel Sidney at the first court, 6-3.
Then, the Georgia squad reeled in six consecutive singles wins. No. 17 senior Wayne Montgomery sealed the first Georgia victory on the match, cruising to a 6-1, 6-1 outing against Jason Legall on the first court to tie play at one. On the fifth court, No. 26 Jan Zielinski followed with a second-set tiebreaker, posting a 6-0, 7-6 (3) win to hand Georgia the 2-1 margin.
No. 31 Emil Reinberg continued the momentum on court two, needing only two sets to defeat Chancerel 6-4, 6-2. Oosterbaan clinched the match for the Bulldogs in the sixth spot, easing by Stefani to record his fourth-straight singles win of fall action.
No. 45 Ponwith and No. 14 Duncan also notched singles wins on their respective third and fourth courts. Ponwith commanded a 7-5, 6-3 victory while Duncan came back from a 3-6 first set to win in three.
Up next, Georgia returns to the USTA National Campus on Friday to face Georgia Tech in front of national television audience. Live stats will be available, and the match will be televised on the Tennis Channel at 7 p.m. ET.
Georgia 5, Florida Atlantic 2
Lake Nona, Fla.
USTA National Campus
Doubles (Order of finish: 3, 1)
Chancerel/Sidney (FAU) def. #8 Zielinski/Loeb (UGA) 6-3
Duncan/Montgomery (UGA) vs. Guy/Legall (FAU), 4-3 unfinished
Garcia/Stefani (FAU) def. Oosterbaan/Ponwith (UGA) 6-2
Singles (1, 5, 2, 6, 3, 4)
#17 Wayne Montgomery (UGA) def. Jason Legall (FAU) 6-1, 6-1
#31 Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Remi Chancerel (FAU) 6-4, 6-2
#45 Nathan Ponwith (UGA) def. Ignacio Garcia (FAU) 7-5, 6-3
#14 Walker Duncan (UGA) def. Gabriel Sidney (FAU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
#26 Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. Thomas Bugeaud (FAU) 6-0, 7-6 (3)
Paul Oosterbaan (UGA) def. Arthur Stefani (FAU) 6-2, 6-4