No. 6 UCLA Blanks GW, GCU in Openers

LOS ANGELES – The No. 6 UCLA men's tennis team opened its 2018 dual-match campaign with a pair of victories, as the Bruins knocked off visiting George Washington and Grand Canyon by identical 7-0 scores. The matches marked the return to Los Angeles Tennis Center for the Bruins, who played at the Sunset Canyon Tennis Courts in 2017 due to construction of the Mo Ostin Basketball Center.

Four Bruins posted their first career wins in the dual-match setting, with freshman Connor Hance clinching the victory over the Colonials in the morning match. Fellow freshmen Bryce Pereira and Keegan Smith also got on the board for the Bruins, as did redshirt freshmen Connor Rapp.

Against the Colonials, reigning Pac-12 Doubles Team of the Year Martin Redlicki and Evan Zhu got a test from the GW pair of Chris Reynolds and Jakub Behun, but Courts 2 and 3 answered the call with convincing victories. After Maxime Cressy and Pereira made quick work of Dennis Afanasev and Amlan Sahoo, 6-1, the rangy duo of Keegan Smith and Austin Rapp provided the clinching point (6-3) on a Smith ace.

Connor Rapp made the most of his first dual-match appearance, blanking Sahoo in the opening set on Court 6 before making it official with a 6-1 second frame. Martin Redlicki then showed why he is ranked No. 1 in the nation, dispatching the Colonials' top player, William Tutecky, 6-1, 6-2. Playing on neighboring courts, Hance picked up the clincher with a 6-2, 6-1 decision over Behun, while Goldberg handled Afanasev, 6-0, 6-3.

No. 108 Smith's first singles win also came in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3 over Reynolds, while Cressy fought back from a lost first set tiebreaker against Christos Hadjigeorgiou (6-7 [3], 6-2, 1-0 [6]) to put a bow on the Bruins' first win.

In the afternoon tilt, it was once again Courts 2 and 3 that provided the wins in doubles. Hance and Connor Rapp drew first blood with a 6-0 blanking of the Lopes' Lucas Grego and Freddie Grant. Then, in their first action together since the 2017 NCAA Championships, Cressy and Goldberg provided the clincher, 6-1 over Valentin Lang and Gregoire Balenci.

Smith got scoring started on the singles courts, 6-0, 6-2 over Lorenzo Fucile, while classmate Hance followed suit with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Balenci. The veteran, Austin Rapp, provided the clincher courtesy a straight-set (6-3, 6-4) win over Grego.

Playing out the match, Zhu collected a Court 1 victory over Mathieu Rajaonah, 6-3, 6-3, and Pereira picked up his first win with a 6-4, 6-3 decision over Justin Cvitanovic. No. 55 Logan Staggs and Valentin Lang battled through three sets, with Staggs ultimately proving triumphant, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 1-0 (7), to complete the sweep.

Tennis Match Results
George Washington vs UCLA
Jan 18, 2018 at Los Angeles, CA
(Los Angeles Tennis Center)

#6 UCLA 7, George Washington 0

Singles competition
1. #1 Martin Redlicki (UCLA) def. William Tutecky (GW) 6-1, 6-2
2. #108 Keegan Smith (UCLA) def. Chris Reynolds (GW) 6-2, 6-3
3. Maxime Cressy (UCLA) def. C. Hadjigeorgiou (GW) 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 1-0 (10-6)
4. Ben Goldberg (UCLA) def. Dennis Afanasev (GW) 6-0, 6-3
5. Connor Hance (UCLA) def. Jakub Behun (GW) 6-2, 6-1
6. Connor Rapp (UCLA) def. Amlan Sahoo (GW) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Martin Redlicki/Evan Zhu (UCLA) vs. Chris Reynolds/Jakub Behun (GW) 4-5, unfinished
2. Keegan Smith/Austin Rapp (UCLA) def. C. Hadjigeorgiou/William Tutecky (GW) 6-3
3. Maxime Cressy/Bryce Pereira (UCLA) def. Dennis Afanasev/Amlan Sahoo (GW) 6-1

Match Notes:
George Washington 0-1
UCLA 1-0; National ranking #6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,1,5,4,2,3)
T-2:15

Tennis Match Results
Grand Canyon University vs UCLA
Jan 18, 2018 at Los Angeles, CA
(Los Angeles Tennis Center)

#6 UCLA 7, Grand Canyon University 0

Singles competition
1. Evan Zhu (UCLA) def. Mathieu Rajaonah (GCU) 6-3, 6-3
2. #108 Keegan Smith (UCLA) def. Lorenzo Fucile (GCU) 6-0, 6-2
3. #55 Logan Staggs (UCLA) def. Valentin Lang (GCU) 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 1-0 (10-7)
4. Austin Rapp (UCLA) def. Lucas Grego (GCU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Connor Hance (UCLA) def. Gregoire Balenci (GCU) 6-2, 6-3
6. Bryce Pereira (UCLA) def. Justin Cvitanovic (GCU) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Martin Redlicki/Evan Zhu (UCLA) vs. Mathieu Rajaonah/Lorenzo Fucile (GCU) 4-3, unfinished
2. Maxime Cressy/Ben Goldberg (UCLA) def. Valentin Lang/Gregoire Balenci (GCU) 6-1
3. Connor Hance/Connor Rapp (UCLA) def. Lucas Grego/Freddie Grant (GCU) 6-0

Match Notes:
Grand Canyon University 0-1
UCLA 2-0; National ranking #6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (2,5,4,1,6,3)
T-2:20