No. 31 Mustangs Top Wichita State In Thriller

Saturday, April 2

Dallas

12:00 p.m

SMU

Wichita State

BOX SCORE

Photo by: George Walker/DFWsportsonline

No. 31 Mustangs Top Wichita State In Thriller

Apr 2 | Men's Tennis

Kumar pulls off incredible singles comeback

By: Ben DiCrasto

DALLAS – SMU secured another exciting win at their home complex today, defeating Wichita State 4-2 in a back and forth match. Pranav Kumar completed an outstanding comeback to help lift SMU to victory. The Mustangs improve to 14-6, 3-0 versus AAC opponents, and 8-4 at home. They are also on a three-match winning streak.

Kumar and Adam Neff got doubles going for the Mustangs. In just their second match together this season, the SMU pairing dominated on court one, 6-0. They improve to 2-0 this season, both wins coming at the top line.

Neff's usual doubles partner, Ivan Thamma, played with Caleb Chakravarthi on court two. In their first match together, the duo went back and forth with the Shockers' pairing. Tied 4-4, the Mustangs got a critical break, taking the lead and now serving for the match. At 40-all, Chakravarthi made a big serve to win the match and seal the doubles point for SMU.

Wichita State answered in singles, tying the score at 1-1 with a straight set victory on court 5. The Shockers stayed hot with another victory on the top line. Neff won the first set 6-1, dropped the second 3-6, and couldn't quite hang on in the third, which Kristof Minarik won 7-5 after a big break at 5-5.

Chakravarthi brought the score level once again, winning on court two in three sets. The senior took the first set with ease, 6-1, before falling in the second, 3-6. He turned it on again in the third, dominating 6-1 once again to close out the match. Chakravarthi improves to 3-1 at the number two line this season.

Kumar's match on the number three line proved to be one of the best of the day. After dropping the first set 5-7, Kumar battled back in the second, winning 6-4. Wichita State's Orel Ovil took off in the final set, quickly putting Kumar in a 1-5 deficit. With his back against the wall, SMU's grad-senior methodically worked his way back, winning the next five games and forcing an eventual tiebreak. Kumar went on to win the tiebreak 7-3 to bring his team within one match victory from the overall win.

In his fifth singles dual match of the season, Jordi Redelijk played on court six for the Mustangs. After his opponent won the first set, Redelijk stayed alive with a crucial tiebreak victory in the second. The junior captain pulled ahead 5-4 in the second, before breaking his opponent with a number of powerful forehand winners to clinch his match and the win for SMU.

Winning Streaks
Jordi Redelijk is on a three-match winning streak. He is 4-1 in dual play this season.

Huntley Allen and Julian Steinhausen have won seven of their last eight finished doubles matches. They are 8-2 in dual play this season.

Liam Krall is on a two-match winning streak. The former AAC Freshman of the Year is 12-3 in singles dual matches this season.

Steinhausen has won his last three singles matches, the last two being in straight sets.

Upcoming Matches
SMU will be back in action Monday, facing off with No. 37 Memphis in an AAC showdown at the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex at 10:00 a.m. CT.

Singles

1. Kristof Minarik (WSU) def. Adam Neff (SMU) 1-6, 6-3, 7-5

2. Caleb Chakravarthi (SMU) def. Nicolas Acevedo (WSU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-1

3. Pranav Kumar (SMU) def. Orel Ovil (WSU) 5-7, 6-4, 7-6

4. Julian Steinhausen (SMU) vs. Ray Lo (WSU) 5-7, 7-5, 4-5, unfinished

5. Alex Richards (WSU) def. Louis Cloud (SMU) 6-1, 6-4

6. Jordi Redelijk (SMU) def. Jackie Lin (WSU) 4-6, 7-6, 6-4

Doubles

1. Adam Neff/Pranav Kumar (SMU) def. Kristof Minarik/Alex Richards (WSU) 6-0

2. Caleb Chakravarthi/Ivan Thamma (SMU) def. Luka Mrsic/Orel Ovil (WSU) 6-4

3. Huntley Allen/Julian Steinhausen (SMU) vs. Nicolas Acevedo/Ray Lo (WSU) 4-5, unfinished