Fu Clinches Top-25 Win vs. Miami 4-3

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Rain overnight delayed the start of the first match of the day between the University of Notre Dame and Miami men’s tennis teams. Originally scheduled for 12 p.m., first serve was hit at 1:30pm once the courts had dried. Once play was underway, it would be a war that lasted over 3.5-hours before Notre Dame would walk away victorious over the top-25 opponent.

The Irish would drop the doubles point with losses at the top two spots by identical 6-3 scores. After a quick win at #6 singles, the Hurricanes would find themselves with a 2-0 lead. But Notre Dame got hold of four first sets in singles to take momentum. Axel Nefve would put up the first point for the Irish on the day with a 7-6, 6-2 win over #99 Dan Martin. Shortly after, Peter Conklin would wrap up his straight set victory 7-5, 6-2 over Martin Katz, a freshman who came to college with a  career high ITF world ranking of #36. Matt Che would put the Notre Dame team ahead for the first time on the day with his 6-2, 7-6 win over Ben Hannestad who had a record of 8-1 in singles before today. At  the number two position, Addy Vashistha fell in a grueling 7-5, 6-4 battle to knot it up at 3-all setting up teammate Connor Fu in the spotlight at number four singles.

The junior from Andover, Massachusetts, Connor Fu took the first set over Juan Martin Jalif 6-3 and would have a break lead in the second at 4-3. But Jalif would respond winning three straight games to take the second set and send the match to a final and deciding third set. Fu would again get a break lead and serve for the match at 5-4 only to see the Hurricanes opponent pull even once again. But with great resilience, the Irish player would respond with a break of his own and another chance to serve out the match and clinch victory. Getting to match point up 40-15, Fu stepped to the line and hit an ace down the T to seal the 4-3 win.

After a very brief rest, the courts would be full again as the Irish hosted Eastern Illinois University. First off the doubles court was Che and Nefve would quickly dispatched their Panther opponents 6-2. The other two tandems of Halpin and Malkowski at two doubles and Corsillo and Bilsey at three doubles would finish at the same time with 6-3 wins.

In singles, the Irish would get routine wins from Nefve, Vashistha, Che, Bilsey and Ho. With darkness setting on the Courtney Courts, the remaining match between Corsillo and his opponent Tyler Carlin would be abandoned with Notre Dame leading a set and 4-2.

Up Next:

The Notre Dame men’s team will hit the road for a pair of matches against ACC opponents and top-20 teams. First up, the Irish will take #18 Duke on Friday, March 25th at 4pm in Durham, North Carolina. They will follow that up by going a few miles across town to play #17 in Chapel Hill on Sunday the 27th.

Box Score – Match #1

#21 Notre Dame 4 – #25 Miami 3

Doubles

1. Jalif/Aubone(MIA) def. #42 Che/Nefve(ND) 6-3
2. Hannestad/Katz(MIA) def. Conklin/Halpin(ND) 6-3
3. Fu/Malkowski(ND) vs. Martin/Jankulovski(MIA) Did Not Finish

Singles

1. #44 Nefve(ND) def. #99 Martin(MIA) 7-6, 6-2
2. Jankulovski(MIA) def. Vashistha(ND) 7-5, 6-4
3. Che(ND) def. Hannestad(MIA) 6-2, 7-6
4. Fu(ND) vs. Jalif(MIA) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
5. Conklin(ND) def. Katz(MIA) 7-5, 6-2
6. Aubone(MIA) def. Bilsey(ND) 6-2, 6-0

Order of finish: Doubles(1, 2); Singles (6, 1, 5, 3, 2, 4)

Box Score – Match #2

#21 Notre Dame 6 – Eastern Illinois 0

Doubles

1. #42 Che/Nefve(ND) Kyrillou/Wallace(EIU) 6-2
2. Halpin/Malkowski(ND) def. Slabbert/Courteau(EIU) 6-3
3. Bilsey/Corsillo(ND) def. Carlin/Pilipovic(EIU) 6-3

Singles

1. #44 Nefve(ND) def. Brandon(EIU) 6-0, 6-2
2. Vashistha(ND) def. Kyrillou(EIU) 6-0, 6-3
3. Che(ND) def. Slabbert(EIU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Bilsey(ND) def. Courteau(EIU) 6-1, 6-0
5. Corsillo(ND) vs. Carlin(EIU) 6-4, 4-2 Did Not Finish
6. Ho(ND) def. Wallace(EIU) 6-0, 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles(1, 2, 3); Singles (6, 1, 5, 3, 2, 4)