TCU
#3 Wake Forest
TCU Falls Short in Tough Battle
3/6/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
FORT WORTH, Texas - A battle from the very beginning was on tap for the No. 41 TCU men's tennis team as they went toe-to-toe with No. 3 Wake Forest but ultimately came up just short of the match victory as the Demon Deacons came away with the 4-3 win on Monday afternoon at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
The Horned Frogs (5-4) did not let the loss to the Deacons (11-1) in doubles detour them as they took the first sets on four of the singles courts. No. 19 Cameron Norrie made it 1-1 in the match and solidified his place as one of the best collegiate players currently by easily handling and taking down No. 1 Petros Chrysochos, 6-2, 6-3. The win marked his 40th over a ranked foe as the junior is now 6-0 this year with all six wins coming over ranked opponents and in straight sets.
Wake Forest responded with a win on court five, but senior Jerry Lopez notched a 7-6(6), 7-5 victory over No. 34 Christian Seraphim to even up the match at 2-2. Lopez moves to 12-4 this season and 3-0 against ranked opponents. The Deacons inched ahead to a 3-2 lead with a straight-set win at the No. 6 spot as the final two courts went into deciding final sets to determine the match. No. 112 Guillermo Nuñez battled back to get his set back on serve on court three, but Borna Gojo broke at deuce to secure the win and the overall match victory for Wake Forest. Just moments after the match was decided, sophomore Alex Rybakov broke No. 8 Skander Mansouri to win his match, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, and move to 7-1 this season and 3-0 over ranked opponents.
Quotes from the Match
Head Coach David Roditi
"Today was a really good match and there was some really good tennis played. Obviously I am disappointed because I hate playing at home and being at a disadvantage because of our rules and because of our type of facility. We had to play indoors on some of the fastest courts against guys that are much better indoors then they are outside. I am frustrated but I do not want to take anything away from Wake Forest who is a very good team. They are one of the best teams and the coach has done a great job.
"I am proud of the way our guys played today and how we competed. There were some really bright spots there. Cameron Norrie made one of the best players in college look like an amateur. Jerry Lopez had a great win and played physical like he should be playing. (Alex) Rybakov got a nice revenge on a very good player. We just came up a little short at No. 3 and Guillermo (Nuñez) gave it everything he had. They served very well today and got so many free points on their serve. I hope we play that team outdoors later in the year. There is nothing we can do about it right now but learn from it and continue to get better and get healthier. At some point we will have a full lineup out there and be able to compete with these top teams. I really appreciate all the people who came out. It was a great atmosphere and a lot of fun and we really appreciate all the support."
Match Results
Wake Forest vs TCU
Mar 06, 2017 at Fort Worth, Texas
(Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center)
#3 Wake Forest 4, #41 TCU 3
Singles competition
1. #19 Cameron Norrie (TCU) def. #1 Petros Chrysochos (WF) 6-2, 6-3
2. Alex Rybakov (TCU) def. #8 Skander Mansouri (WF) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
3. Borna Gojo (WF) def. #112 Guillermo Nuñez (TCU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
4. Jerry Lopez (TCU) def. #34 Christian Seraphim (WF) 7-6 (8-6), 7-5
5. Dennis Uspensky (WF) def. Reese Stalder (TCU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Alan Gadjiev (WF) def. Gianni Mancini (TCU) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #1 Skander Mansouri/Christian Seraphim (WF) def. Reese Stalder/Cameron Norrie (TCU) 6-2
2. #14 Guillermo Nuñez/Alex Rybakov (TCU) vs. Borna Gojo/Alan Gadjiev (WF) 4-4, unfinished
3. Petros Chrysochos/Dennis Uspensky (WF) def. Jerry Lopez/Gianni Mancini (TCU) 6-2
Match Notes:
Wake Forest 11-1; National ranking #3
TCU 5-4; National ranking #41
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (1,5,4,6,3,2)
Up Next
TCU will hit the road for the next four straight matches as the head out on a spring break road trip to California. The Frogs will begin by facing Cal on March 10 and Stanford on March 11, before heading to UC Santa Barbara for a showdown on March 13 and then wrap-up the trip at Pepperdine on March 16.
Players Mentioned
