The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Winthrop
Men's Tennis Team Blanks Winthrop, 4-0
3/12/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
March 12, 2013
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- Senior David Zimmerman won his 10th consecutive singles match as the UAB men's tennis team defeated visiting Winthrop, 4-0, Tuesday afternoon at the George Ward Tennis Center.
The match was played a day after it was originally scheduled to be played, postponed due to inclement weather on Monday.
The Blazers (11-7) won for the ninth time in 10 matches and bounced back from a 4-3 loss at Conference USA foe Tulane last Saturday, a defeat that halted an eight-match UAB win streak.
"This was obviously a step in the right direction after a disappointing loss at Tulane," head coach Derek Tarr said. "Hopefully, it will also be a confidence boost for our guys with some tough matches coming up."
The Blazers are back in action Wednesday when they play host to nationally-ranked Georgia State at 2:00 p.m. CT at the George Ward courts.
Zimmerman was the first UAB player to finish his singles match Tuesday against Winthrop as he took a 6-1, 6-2 victory over the Eagles' Dylan Comerford to give the Blazers a 2-0 lead. Zimmerman and doubles partner Tom Puetz did not complete their match at No. 1 doubles when they held a 7-4 lead over Peter Nagovnak and Steven Patrick.
The doubles point had already been secured with wins at the No. 2 and 3 positions, both by 8-4 scores. Lucas Dirube and Chris Helliar teamed at No. 2 to down Comerford and Juan Pablo Boada while Luiz Felipe Pinto and Rafael Rondino were winners at No. 3 doubles over Winthrop's Ivar Aramburu and Yuta Hirokawa.
Dirube made it a 3-0 UAB lead with his 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 6 singles over Boada before Puetz closed out the match with a 6-1, 6-3 decision at No. 3 singles over Nagovnak.
With the fourth UAB decided, the match was halted at that point. Helliar was leading Hirokawa at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 4-2, while Pinto was on the verge of winning at No. 5 singles, 6-4, 5-4, when play was stopped.
Rondino and the Eagles' Aramburu were in a battle at the No. 2 position with the match knotted at 6-6 (12-12) when play ended.
UAB 4, Winthrop 0
Doubles
No. 1 - Tom Puetz/David Zimmerman (UAB) vs. Peter Nagovnak/Steven Patrick (Winthrop) 7-4, unf.
No. 2 - Lucas Dirube/Chris Helliar (UAB) def. Juan Pablo Boada/Dylan Comerford (Winthrop) 8-4
No. 3 - Luiz Felipe Pinto/Rafael Rondino (UAB) def. Ivar Aramburu/Yuta Hirokawa (Winthrop) 8-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3
Singles
No. 1 - David Zimmerman (UAB) def. Dylan Comerford (Winthrop) 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 - Rafael Rondino (UAB) vs. Ivar Aramburu (Winthrop) 6-6 (12-12), unf.
No. 3 - Tom Puetz (UAB) def. Peter Nagovnak (Winthrop) 6-1, 6-3
No. 4 - Chris Helliar (UAB) vs. Yuta Hirokawa (Winthrop) 6-4, 4-2, unf.
No. 5 - Luiz Felipe Pinto (UAB) vs. Michael Chen (Winthrop) 6-4, 5-4, unf.
No. 6 - Lucas Dirube (UAB) def. Juan Pablo Boada (Winthrop) 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 6, 3
Records: UAB 11-7, Winthrop 4-9
