MALIBU, Calif. – The Pepperdine men’s tennis team was defeated by one point on Saturday afternoon by the University of Alabama, 4-3, at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center.
The Waves (1-4) lost their first home match after 58 straight wins at their home venue.
Alabama (5-0) won the doubles point with victories in the No.1 and No. 3 doubles, while Pepperdine was only able to capture No. 2 doubles when Bassam Beidas (Cairo, Egypt) and James Lemke (Melbourne, Australia) defeated Andrew Felsenthal and Saketh Myneni, 8-4.
The match between Alabama and Pepperdine came down to the No. 6 singles match between Johannes de Villiers (South Africa) and Javier Bes. Bes prevailed, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, to clinch the team title for Alabama.
No. 22 Andre Begemann (Blomberg, Germany) defeated Mathew Thibaudeau, 6-1, 6-4, in No. 1 singles. Lemke won the No. 3 singles against Sammy Struyf, 6-1, 6-3 and Omar Altmann (Cairo, Egypt) prevailed over Billie Mertz, 6-4, 6-1.
Feb 09, 2008 at
#10 University of Alabama 4, #21 PEPPERDINE 3
Singles competition
1. #22 Andre Begemann (PEP) def. Mathew Thibaudeau (ALABAMA) 6-1, 6-4
2. Saketh Myneni (ALABAMA) def. #13 Bassam Beidas (PEP) 7-5, 6-1
3. #73 James Lemke (PEP) def. Sammy Struyf (ALABAMA) 6-1, 6-3
4. #66 Omar Altmann (PEP) def. Billie Mertz (ALABAMA) 6-4, 6-1
5. Michael Jung (ALABAMA) def. Mahmoud Kamel (PEP) 6-4, 6-1
6. Javier Bes (ALABAMA) def. Johannes de Villiers (PEP) 7-5, 3-6, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Daniel Buikema/Mathew Thibaudeau (ALABAMA) def. Omar Altmann/Andre Begemann (PEP) 8-6
2. Bassam Beidas/James Lemke (PEP) def. Andrew Felsenthal/Saketh Myneni (ALABAMA) 8-4
3. Javier Bes/Sammy Struyf (ALABAMA) 8-3 def. Mahmoud Kamel/Johannes de Villiers (PEP)
Next up for the Waves is Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla., on Feb. 23, at 10 a.m.
