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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

Men’s tennis dominates opening home weekend

Carlos+Herrera+%2F+Daily+Wildcat%0A%0ASenior+tennis+player+Kieren+Thompson+hits+the+ball+during+the+UA+vs.+UC+Riverside+at+the+Tucson+Country+Club+on+Sunday.+UA+beat+UC+Riverside+7-0.
Carlos Herrera
Carlos Herrera / Daily Wildcat Senior tennis player Kieren Thompson hits the ball during the UA vs. UC Riverside at the Tucson Country Club on Sunday. UA beat UC Riverside 7-0.

Arizona men’s tennis won its second 7-0 match of the weekend, defeating UC Riverside at the Tucson Country Club this past Sunday.

Senior Kieren Thompson won both of his single and doubles matches. In his doubles match, Thompson and senior Fredrik Ask defeated Jack Felich and Julian Ruffin 4-3.

“Everyone had close sets today; it was a good match,” Thompson said.

Freshman Will Kneale played his second home match this weekend with two set wins 6-5 (7-4), 6-0.

“It was nice playing here at the country club, but I can’t wait to play my first game at UA,” Kneale said.

The home opening weekend was played at the Tucson Country Club instead of the LaNelle Robson Tennis Center at the UA.

During the season home opener, Arizona showcased a new shortened format of playing tennis.

Head coach Tad Berkowitz embraced the new tennis format.

“It puts a little more pressure on the guys, and that’s something we should welcome,” Berkowitz said.

Of the six single matches and three double matches, all were played in less than two hours.

“It is a transition; you have to be ready to go and you can’t relax on certain points,” Berkowitz said.

Kneale also enjoyed the new tennis format.

“It makes the game go faster and more exciting for the fans; I really like it,” Kneale said.

With a matching score of 7-0, the Wildcats also defeated NAU’s Lumberjacks for their first home win of the season on Friday.

Arizona dominated NAU in the doubles matches, winning 6-4, 6-3 and 5-3.

Thompson, Mario Urquidi, junior Sumeet Shinde and sophomore Naoki Takeda also won all of their single matches against NAU.

Arizona men’s tennis team will face Gonzaga on Friday at noon and Boise State on Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Reffkin Tennis Center.

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