The Georgia Gwinnett College men's tennis team extended the program's winning streak to 59 consecutive matches with a commanding 9-0 win Friday afternoon at Lander University, the NCAA Division II's No. 9-ranked team.
The Grizzlies (4-0) have won all four matches during the 2017-18 dual match season in shutout fashion – all against Division II competition. Lander came into the match with a 4-0 record.
"A 9-0 win over an unbeaten Lander squad is impressive, especially on the road," said Head Men's Tennis Coach Chase Hodges. "This was a statement match for us as we feel extremely good about our team at the moment."
GGC, ranked No. 1 in the NAIA, grabbed early momentum of the match by winning on all three doubles courts. The top doubles team of senior Gilad Berman and junior Ayed Zatar picked up an 8-4 triumph, while junior Rafael Coutinho and sophomore Federico Herrera Duran won eight of the 11 games at No. 2 doubles. Then, the freshmen duo of Serge Becerra and Valentino Caratini followed with an 8-6 victory.
The winning continued in singles, Berman came out on top on the No. 1 court by winning a second set tiebreaker, 6-4, 7-6 (2). Zatar had a dominant 6-3, 6-1 win on the No. 2 court, while Coutinho won a hard-fought three-set triumph at No. 3 singles.
Becerra dropped only two points in picking up a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 4 singles, and No. 5 player Herrera Duran won a tiebreaker in the opening set before picking up the win with a 6-4 score in the second set. Caratini rounded out GGC's winners with a 6-4, 6-3 victory.
Results
Doubles
No. 1 Ayed Zatar/Gilad Berman (GGC) def. David Korsten/Omar El-Moslemany (LU), 8-4
No. 2 Federico Herrera Duran/Rafael Coutinho (GGC) def. Philippe Courteau/Ozan Cildir (LU), 8-3
No. 3 Serge Becerra/Valentino Caratini (GGC) def. Eirik Groner/Gabriel Couto (LU), 8-6
Singles
No. 1 Berman (GGC) def. Erik Groner (LU) 6-4, 7-6 (2)
No. 2 Zatar (GGC) def. Ozan Cildir (LU) 6-3, 6-1
No. 3 Coutinho (GGC) def. Philippe Courteau (LU) 6-0, 4-6, 1-0 (6)
No. 4 Serge Becerra (GGC) def. Omar El-Moslemany (LU) 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 Herrera Duran (GGC) def. Gabriel Couto (LU) 7-6, 6-4
No. 6 Caratini (GGC) def. Tommaso Rossin (LU) 6-4, 6-3
Up Next
Georgia Gwinnett College travels to NCAA Division III Emory University Sunday, Feb. 11, for an indoors match in Atlanta, starting at 3 p.m.
