Mississippi State
Memphis
Men’s Tennis Sweeps Sunday Twinbill With Memphis, Jackson State; Improves To 7-1
February 07, 2021 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE - With a pair of victories Sunday, Mississippi State's men's tennis team improved to 7-1 overall in 2021. The Bulldogs held off Memphis (2-1) in a fierce 4-2 battle before ousting Jackson State (0-2) 7-0 later in the day. Both matches were played indoors at MSU's Rula Tennis Pavilion.
State's win over Memphis was its 10th straight over the Tigers and the first meeting between the teams since 2016. MSU now leads the series with JSU 5-0.
MSU 4, Memphis 2
MSU ousted Memphis 4-2 in the day's first matchup in what was hotly contested battle that lasted over three hours.
State got out to a shaky start as the Bulldogs dropped a tight doubles point. On court 1, the MSU duo of Nemanja Malesevic and Nicolas Ocana would fall in a 6-1 affair to Memphis' Oscar Cutting and David Stevenson. On court 2, the Bulldog duo of Alberto Colas and Giovanni Oradini would battle hard against Tigers Jan Pallares and Patrick Sydow, ultimately falling 6-4. At the time of the clinch, Bulldogs Florian Broska and Gregor Ramskogler were up 5-4 against the Tiger duo of James Story and Jeremy Taylor on court 3.
The Bulldogs quickly swung the momentum in singles, as veterans Oradini and Broska would register straight-set wins at the top two positions in the lineup. The 36th-ranked senior Oradini would make quick work of Tiger James Story at No. 1 in 6-4, 6-1 fashion. Giving State the lead at 2-1 would be the 87th-ranked Broska as he would battle hard to defeat Pallares 6-1, 6-4, rallying back from a 3-0, two-break deficit in the second set for the victory. Broska's win kept him perfect (7-0) in dual matches this spring, having dropped only one set in those seven affairs.
The Tigers would tie things back up on court 6 where Taylor completed a 7-6(2), 6-0 triumph over State's Ramskogler. The last three matches of the day would all go third sets to decide the very tight battle.
Edging the Bulldogs into the lead again would be Colas on court 4, where the Bulldog would storm back from a tough first set to win a three-set battle against Memphis' Cutting 0-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Clinching the match for the Bulldogs was the true freshman Malesevic as the Bulldog fended off the Tigers' Stevenson at the No. 3 spot to claim a 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3 victory.
At the time of the clinch, Pau Fanlo of Memphis led MSU's Carles Hernandez 4-6, 7-5, 2-0 when play was suspended.
MSU 7, Jackson State 0
In the second match of the day, the Bulldogs swept all nine matches in a 7-0 victory over Jackson State.
State cruised to the opening doubles point, dropping only two games across all three courts. Court 2 finished first when State's pair of Malesevic and Ocana shutout Tigers Agustin Agosto and Hiromu Ikeda 6-0. Broska and Ramskogler then provided the clincher at the No. 3 spot, downing JSU's tandem of Agustin Leguizamon and Juan Agustin Soria Forcada 6-1. At the No. 1 position, Bulldogs Colas and Oradini downed Tigers Richy Gamo and Francisco Vargas, also by a 6-1 margin.
In singles, the 36th-ranked Oradini put State up 2-0 with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 1 over the Tigers' Soria Forcada to move to 4-1 this spring. Next off the court was the Bulldogs' Ramskogler who completed a 6-0, 6-3 triumph over Ikeda at No. 5.
Clinching the match for State would be Colas, who ousted JSU's Vargas on court 2 6-2, 6-0 for his ninth straight singles victory. He is now 13-4 overall in singles this year.
The rookie Malesevic provided the next point for the Bulldogs, taking down the Tigers' Agosto at the No. 3 position 6-4, 6-2 for his third win in a row. Making the score 6-0 State was Hernandez who notched a 6-4, 6-2 decision on court 4 over JSU's Gamo to improve to 5-2 in his young Bulldog career.
The final match of the day, at the No. 6 spot, saw MSU's Davide Tortora show great determination to oust Jackson State's Leguizamon 7-6(7), 6-3.
Next up…
The Bulldogs welcome South Alabama to Starkville next Saturday, February 13. Following that affair, MSU opens 2021 SEC action, hosting Arkansas on Friday, February 19.
Mississippi State 4, Memphis 2
February 7, 2021
Starkville, Miss. - Rula Tennis Pavilion
Doubles
1. Oscar Cutting/David Stevenson (MEM) def. Nemanja Malesevic/Nicolas Ocana (MSU) 6-1
2. Jan Pallares/Patrick Sydow (MEM) def. Alberto Colas/Giovanni Oradini (MSU) 6-4
3. Florian Broska/Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) vs. James Story/Jeremy Taylor (MEM) 5-4 (susp.)
Order of finish: 1,2
Singles
1. #36 Giovanni Oradini (MSU) def. James Story (MEM) 6-4, 6-1
2. #87 Florian Broska (MSU) def. Jan Pallares (MEM) 6-1, 6-4
3. Nemanja Malesevic (MSU) def. David Stevenson (MEM) 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3
4. Alberto Colas (MSU) def. Oscar Cutting (MEM) 0-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Pau Fanlo (MEM) vs. Carles Hernandez (MSU) 4-6, 7-5, 2-0 (susp.)
6. Jeremy Taylor (MEM) def. Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) 7-6(2), 6-0
Order of finish: 1,2,6,4,3
Mississippi State 7, Jackson State 0
February 7, 2021
Starkville, Miss – Rula Tennis Pavilion
Doubles
1. Alberto Colas/Giovanni Oradini (MSU) def. Richy Gamo/Francisco Vargas (JSU) 6-1
2. Nemanja Malesevic/Nicolas Ocana (MSU) def. Agustin Agosto/Hiromu Ikeda (JSU) 6-0
3. Florian Broska/Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Agustin Leguizamon/Juan Agustin Soria Forcada (JSU) 6-1
Order of finish: 2,3,1
Singles
1. #36 Giovanni Oradini (MSU) def Juan Agustin Soria Forcada (JSU) 6-1, 6-0
2. Alberto Colas (MSU) def. Francisco Vargas (JSU) 6-2, 6-0
3. Nemanja Malesevic (MSU) def. Agustin Agosto (JSU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Carles Hernandez (MSU) def. Richy Gamo (JSU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Hiromu Ikeda (JSU) 6-0, 6-3
6. Davide Tortora (MSU) def. Agustin Leguizamon (JSU) 7-6(7), 6-3
Order of finish: 1,5,2,3,4,6
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Players Mentioned
