Texas A&M
Wisconsin
No. 17 Aggies Fend Off Badgers, 5-2
Feb 21, 2010 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 21, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The 17th-ranked Texas A&M men's tennis team defeated No. 26 Wisconsin in convincing fashion, 5-2, in the first of two doubleheader matches held Sunday afternoon before a crowd of 327 at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.
The Aggies (5-2) started off by sweeping the Badgers (7-3) in the doubles, the fourth time to do so this season next to wins over Oklahoma State, Nicholls State and UT Pan American. The No. 13-ranked doubles tandem of junior All-American Austin Krajicek (Brandon, Fla.) and junior Jeff Dadamo (Tampa, Fla.) sealed the doubles point with an 8-3 victory over Michael Dierberger and Marek Michalicka at No. 1.
Wisconsin proved they weren't going away easily by coming out and taking the first set in four out of the six singles matches to come. The Aggies fought their way back by taking all four of those matches to three sets. Freshman Alberto Bautista (McAllen, Texas) was a prime example of heroic comebacks - down 0-6 in the first set - to winning with a pair of 6-3 sets in the next two at the No. 6 line. No. 23-ranked Jeff Dadamo also contributed by coming back from a 4-6 first set and taking the next two by a count of 6-2 and 6-3 at No. 2.
Junior Alexey Grigorov (Moscow, Russia) came out strong and won the first singles point for the Aggies in his match versus Chris Freeman in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, at No. 4. For the third time this season, No. 24-ranked and top player Austin Krajicek clinched the match for A&M by upsetting seventh-ranked Moritz Baumann, 7-6 (5), 6-2.
"One thing that was really positive about today's match was that we came out and played really well in doubles," Texas A&M head coach Steve Denton said. "We have struggled a bit, changed some teams and I liked our chemistry today in the doubles. I was pleased we got off to that strong start, because we needed it. They (Wisconsin) really took it to us in the singles matches like I thought they would. They won the first sets in four of the six and we did a good job of turning two of those matches around in our favor. That is why we were able to win today."
The Aggies will take on NJCAA powerhouse and second-ranked Laredo Community College in the second match of the doubleheader at 6 p.m. (CT) at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.
(17) TEXAS A&M 5, (26) WISCONSIN 2
Feb. 21, 2010
George P. Mitchell Tennis Center
at College Station, Texas
Attendance: 327
SINGLES
No. 1 - (24) Austin Krajicek (Texas A&M) def. (7) Moritz Baumann (Wisconsin), 7-6 (5), 6-2.
No. 2 - (23) Jeff Dadamo (Texas A&M) def. (73) Patrick Pohlmann (Wisconsin), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
No. 3 - (22) Marek Michalicka (Wisconsin) def. Alexis Klegou (Texas A&M), 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
No. 4 - Alexey Grigorov (Texas A&M) def. Chris Freeman (Wisconsin), 6-4, 6-4.
No. 5 - Ricardo Martin (Wisconsin) def. Niall Angus (Texas A&M), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
No. 6 - Alberto Bautista (Texas A&M) def. Luke Rassow-Kantor (Wisconsin), 0-6, 6-3, 6-3.
DOUBLES
No. 1 - (13) Krajicek-Dadamo (Texas A&M) def. Dierberger-Michalicka (Wisconsin), 8-3.
No. 2 - Grigorov-Bautista (Texas A&M) def. Baumann-Rassow-Kantor (Wisconsin), 8-5.
No. 3 - Marcus Lunt-Klegou (Texas A&M) def. Pohlmann-Martin (Wisconsin), 8-2.
ORDER OF FINISH
Singles: 4, 6, 1*, 3, 5, 2
Doubles: 3, 1, 2
Players Mentioned
