No. 50 SMU (11-12) vs No. 54 South Florida (12-9)
USF Varsity Tennis Courts – Tampa, Fla.
12:30 p.m. CT Sunday, Apr. 2
Season Stats
Box Score
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
SMU Mobile App | Apple | Google Play
 
TAMPA, Fla. (SMU)- The No. 50 SMU men's tennis team fell in an incredibly tight match, 4-3, to No. 54 South Florida at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.

Utilizing clinical doubles play to begin the match, SMU dominated USF for the 1-0 lead by taking the doubles point. 

Pranav Kumar and Adam Neff, the No. 69 doubles duo in the nation, led the Mustangs to their first doubles win with a back-and-forth match on Court 1. With the match tied at 4-4 Kumar and Neff got the best of Bruno Oliverira and Davide Torora going up 5-4. The SMU tandem would clinch the match at 6-4 notching their seventh win together this season.

On Court 3, Antonio Muniz-Hidalgo and Julian Steinhuasen were in complete control of the match against Thomas Pavlekovich and Sam Frizelle. Muniz-Hidalgo and Steinhausen converted a pair of break points and punched the doubles point for the Mustangs with a 6-3 win.

In spite of going unfinished, Callaway Clark and Liam Krall had an enormous come back on the way. After being down 5-2 against Alvin Tudorica and Erik Grevelius, the SMU duo would take the next three games to tie play at 5-5.

Singles play started off strong for SMU getting out to a 2-0 lead as Liam Krall took Court 3 in a straight set victory. Krall cruised over Erik Grevelius 6-2, 6-1 earning his ninth victory over the year. Krall went 2-0 over the weekend with two straight set victories.

The Bulls would up the ante by scoring the next two points with victories on Courts 2 and 4, trying the score at 2-2.

Adam Neff put the Mustangs within one of the match after a win on Court 1. Neff never trailed once in a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Davide Tortora improving to eight straight wins this season and a team high 10 victories.

The match lied in the results from Courts 5 and 6.

Elijah Cham began the Bulls comeback with a hard fought 6-4, 7-5 victory over Jordi Redelijk on Court 5.

Thomas Pavlekovich eventually got the match clincher over Alex Stafford on Court 6. The first set was in heavy favor of Pavlekovich before Stafford fought back in the second to force a dramatic tiebreaker for the fate of the match. Going back-and-forth, Pavlekovich eventually got the win 8-6 giving USF the match.

The Mustangs will continue on the road to Memphis, Tennessee as they take on Wichita State on Apr. 8 at 1 p.m. followed by No. 38 Memphis on Apr. 9 at 11 a.m.

SMU will return to the Styslinger/ Altec Tennis Complex on Apr. 9 for its last home match of the season against UT Dallas at 6 p.m. for Senior Night.
 
Tennis Match Results
SMU vs South Florida
4/2/2023 at Tampa, Fla.
(USF Varsity Tennis Courts)
#54 South Florida 4, #50 SMU 3

Singles competition
1. Adam Neff (SMU1) def. Davide Tortora (USFM) 6-3, 6-2
2. Alvin Tudorica (USFM) def. Antonio MunizHidalgo (SMU1) 6-2, 6-1
3. Liam Krall (SMU1) def. Erik Grevelius (USFM) 6-2, 6-1
4. Bruno Oliveira (USFM) def. Julian Steinhausen (SMU1) 6-1, 6-2
5. Elijah Cham (USFM) def. Jordi Redelijk (SMU1) 6-4, 7-5
6. Thomas Pavlekovich-S (USFM) def. Alex Stafford (SMU1) 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)

Doubles competition
1. Pranav Kumar/Adam Neff (SMU1) def. Bruno Oliveira/Davide Tortora (USFM) 6-4
2. Alvin Tudorica/Erik Grevelius (USFM) vs. Callaway Clark/Liam Krall (SMU1) 5-5, unfinished
3. Antonio MunizHidalgo/Julian Steinhausen (SMU1) def. Thomas Pavlekovich-S/Samuel Frizelle (USFM) 6-3

Match Notes:
SMU 11-12; National ranking #50
South Florida 12-9; National ranking #54
 Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (3,2,1,4,5,6)