NC State men's tennis sweeps UNCG twice in season-opener

The No. 19 NC State men's tennis team brought out the brooms in its 2023 season-opener, sweeping UNC-Greensboro not once, but twice in its dominant doubleheader day in Raleigh. 

NC State (2-0) did more than just dominate, however. The Wolfpack perfected the Spartans (0-2) in both matches by not losing a single set throughout the entire day, paving the way for its 7-0 and 4-0 wins. 

There really isn’t a better way to start a season than with back-to-back sweeps, and the Pack brought the energy and intensity from beginning to end in the season-opener. No matter the match and no matter the opponent, NC State persevered through the dual-action day without a worry.

“Our intent was really high and our guys were excited to compete,” said head coach Kyle Spencer. “We're not outcome-based. They’re really ready to play every point and they really enjoyed their time, whether they were in a close match or in a match where they were controlling a lot of the play.”

Match One

NC State handily took the first match 7-0 on the back of multiple solid performances. To start, the Wolfpack easily claimed the doubles point to gain a quick 1-0 lead. Senior Robin Catry and junior Luca Staeheli beat their Spartan opponents 6-3 while the No. 38 ranked pair of sophomore Fons Van Sambeek and senior Martins Rocens won 6-2. 

In singles, it was more of the same. NC State’s squad continued to roll through UNCG with many of its players beating their opponents with ease. Rocens and Van Sambeek tore through their opposition 6-1, 6-1, and 6-0, 6-0 respectively. Meanwhile, the No. 122 ranked fifth-year senior Rafa Izquierdo Luque won 6-4, 6-2 just before Catry took out his opponent to clinch the first match for the Pack at 4-0. 

Even though the team dominated as whole, a couple of players from NC State’s talented young core really shined in the season-opener. In the closest match of the day, redshirt sophomore Braden Shick delivered in the clutch, as per usual, to help keep the Pack perfect in terms of set wins. The sophomore won in two close sets 7-6 (8-6), 7-5 for the first of his two singles wins on the day. 

Shick is known for staying cool under pressure and using his competitive nature to put away his opponents, even in the toughest of situations, and it’s clear from his performance today that he hasn’t skipped a beat in the offseason. 

“He loves to compete, he loves to figure out his opponent, and that's what he did today,” Spencer said. “He had a tough one in his first match, but Braden found a way as he usually does, and then in the second match, he really controlled play from the get-go.”

To complete the 7-0 sweep, freshman Martin Borisiouk put forth a positive first impression in his NC State debut, winning the first of his two singles matches 6-3, 6-3. 

Match Two

The Wolfpack’s second match ended just as quickly as it began. The 4-0 clinch win started with another strong round of doubles, where the No. 21 ranked duo of Izquierdo Luque and sophomore Joseph Wayand downed their opponents 6-2. Shick and Borisiouk teamed up to capture a 6-4 win that quickly earned NC State yet another 1-0 lead. 

Shick and Borisiouk were determined to continue their impressive days in the second singles round, both dismantling their respective opponents 6-1, 6-2. By then it was all but over. Izquierdo Luque earned his second singles win of the day 6-1, 6-1 to finally send the Spartans home and cap off the red-and-white’s second win of the season. 

Despite a tiring day full of high-energy tennis, NC State never wavered in its commitment to compete at the highest level it could. With plenty of challenging opponents ahead, a dominating performance like this one bodes well for the Pack’s prospects moving forward. 

“We held the energy from start to finish, even though it can be a little tough for two matches in one day,” Shick said. “I think we went from start to finish how we wanted to.” 

The next match won’t be as easy as this one for NC State, however. With the team set to play at Northwestern in just a few days, the Wolfpack will get its first true test of 2023 against a strong Wildcat squad. But according to Spencer, it’s nothing that the Pack isn’t ready to face head-on.

“I think we're ready,” Spencer said. “We’re ready for a step-up in competition. It’s a very tough match on the road, as it always is with Northwestern, so I’m excited for the guys to get that challenge and that opportunity.”

First serve versus the Wildcats is set for 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 16 in Evanston, Illinois.