GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin University men's tennis team opened the conference season with a 5-2 defeat to Hope College on Saturday at Strikwerda Tennis Center.
Calvin (6-7, 0-1 MIAA) started strong as the Knights swept all three hotly contested doubles matches to secure one point.
The number-one doubles team of
Rodrigo Alipio (Santos, São Paulo, Brazil/COC Universitario) and
Mário Neto (Boa Vista, Brazil/Reino) started things off with a 7-5 win. The next two matches went to a tiebreaker, with the number-two team of
Ryan Broek (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) and
Felipe Sartori (Estr. Basiléia/Colégio Giusto Zonzini) winning 7-6 (7-4), and the number-three team of
Tanner Warners (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) and
Corwin Kim (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) winning 7-6 (7-5).
Hope (5-11, 3-0 MIAA) answered the Knights' doubles point with a really strong start to singles playin by winning each of the three matches in the bottom half of the line-up in straight sets to take a 3-1 lead. Needing one more singles point to secure the win, the Flying Dutchmen got that point with a tight 7-5, 7-6 (9-7) win in three-singles over Sartori.
Alipio secured a point for Calvin in the one-singles spot with a three-set victory in a third-set tiebreaker 6-0, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5).
Caleb Bartels (Belton, Mo./Kansas City Christian) fought his two-singles match to a third-set tiebreaker that needed to be finished indoors due to rain before Hope prevailed in that spot 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (6-8), 1-0 (10-7).
NEXT UP: Calvin men's tennis will return to action on Tuesday, April 1, when it hosts Alma College at 4:00 PM.
