MEDFORD - In their first home match of 2022, the Tufts men's tennis team blanked Bates College 9-0 in a NESCAC conference competition on Thursday afternoon. Ranked third nationally, the Jumbos have now won nine consecutive matches and improve to 10-1 (5-1 in conference), while Bates slips to 3-8 (1-5 in conference) with their third straight loss.
Tufts swept the doubles draw 3-0. Junior pair Rishabh Sharda and Josh Belandres fell behind 4-3, but won the next five games to take the match 8-4. Freshman pair Vuk Vuksanovic and Derin Acaroglu won 8-5, and fifth-year student Niko Hereford and senior Paris Pentousis earned an 8-7 win, besting their opponents in a tie-break.
The Jumbos were dominant in singles, with five out of six players defeating their Bates opponents in two sets. Senior Isaac Gorelik (pictured) was in the #1 spot for the Jumbos and won 6-3, 6-2, which gave Tufts its fifth victory of the afternoon to clinch the team victory. Vuksanovic won 6-3, 6-2 in the second position, and Pentousis worked to win in a tie-break 6-0, 5-7, 10-3 at thir singles.
Acaroglu had a thorough 6-0, 6-1 victory in the fourth position, followed by a 6-2, 6-4 win from Belandres in the five spot. Jack Moldenhauer recorded a 6-1, 6-4 win to complete the sweep.
Tufts' focus will now shift to Saturday, where they will host Bowdoin College at 10:00 am. The Polar Bears currently sit at 12-1 and hold a nine-match win streak of their own. Bates' next match is scheduled for Saturday against Maine rival Colby College.
Written by Steven Landry, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
