MALIBU, Calif. — The Pepperdine men's tennis team made strides in doubles play, plus battled in close singles matches against Kentucky on the second day of The Malibu Showdown, held at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center on Saturday.
The Waves won two of the three doubles matches and won two singles matches.
Edward Winter (Adelaide, Australia) picked up wins in doubles and singles on back-to-back days, plus Linus Carlsson Halldin (Stockholm, Sweden) won his second straight singles match of the fall season while he and George Davis (London, England) pulled off a come-from-behind doubles win on court one.
Just as they did against Michigan the day prior, Winter and doubles partner Maxi Homberg (Freising, Germany) got the Waves on the board first with a 6-3 win on court two.
While Kentucky took the doubles match on court three, all eyes turned to court one as Carlsson Halldin and George Davis faced off in a thrilling doubles match against Kentucky's Charlelie Cosnet and Jack Loutit.
Despite breaking Kentucky 2-1 off a backhand return from Carlsson Halldin, the Wildcats broke back, then consolidated the break to go up 3-2. The Pepperdine duo would go down a break, yet this seemed to spark the team, as it rattled off the next 10 points. With the match suddenly tied 4-4 and momentum fully in the Waves' favor, both teams held serve until Davis and Carlsson Halldin broke the Wildcats in the eleventh game to take a 6-5 lead. But Kentucky would break back in a back-and-forth game to force a tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, both teams held serve until Pepperdine went up 3-1 when a Kentucky backhand fell into the net. A double fault put the Waves up 4-1, but Kentucky won the next three points to even the score. But with Carlsson Halldin back to serve, the Waves rattled off three consecutive points and won the tiebreaker 7-4 off George Davis' quick forehand at the net.
Over in singles, Winter put Pepperdine on the board first by beating Kentucky freshman phenom Eli Stephenson 6-3, 6-3. That win was Winter's second singles win on the first line at The Malibu Showdown. Carlsson Halldin also notched his second win of the fall season with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Christophe Clement on the fourth line.
The remaining singles matches were close, three-set affairs. Pepperdine senior Tyler Davis (Redlands, Calif.) bounced back after a difficult first set, yet Kentucky's Jack Loutit prevailed 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. For the second time in as many days, Photos Photiades (Dali, Cyprus) ground out a lengthy singles match on the sixth line. He started strong by winning the first set against Kentucky freshman Matt Rankin, but Rankin prevailed in a 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 three-setter. Finally, George Davis and Charlelie Cosnet squared off again — this time at the second position — yet Cosnet outlasted Davis 6-7, (5-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in the longest singles match of the day.
RESULTS
Singles competition
1. Winter, Edward (PEPP) def. Stephenson, Eli (UK) 6-3, 6-3
2. Cosnet, Charlelie (UK) def. Davis, George (PEPP) 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
3. Loutit, Jack (UK) def. Homberg, Maxi (PEPP) 6-2, 6-2
4. Carlsson Halldin, Linus (PEPP) def. Clement, Christophe (UK) 6-3, 6-4
5. Mercer,JJ (UK) def. Davis, Tyler (PEPP) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
6. Rankin, Matt (UK) def. Photiades, Photos (PEPP) 2-6, 6-4, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. G. Davis/Carlsson Halldin (PEPP) def. Cosnet/Loutit (UK) 7-6 (7-4)
2. Winter/Homberg (PEPP) def. Clement/Rankin (UK) 6-3
3. Mercer/Stephenson (UK) def. Photiades/T. Davis (PEPP) 6-1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,1,4,5,6,2)
UP NEXT: Pepperdine wraps up The Malibu Showdown against Louisville tomorrow at 1 p.m. A broadcast with live commentary will be provided by Cracked Racquets and the match will also be livestreamed on PlaySight.
FOLLOW: Follow @PeppTennis on Facebook and Twitter for immediate updates, results and more. Go to pepperdinewaves.com for all information, releases and schedules.
