MALIBU, Calif. — Despite playing in unpredictable weather conditions, Pepperdine's men's tennis trio combined for a perfect 4-0 record on the first day of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Sectional Championships, held at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center on Thursday.
Competing against a slew of Power-4 teams from the western United States, Pepperdine was one of three teams to go undefeated on day one. The Waves' 4-0 record was bested by only California, which went 7-0 across singles and doubles. Unsurprisingly, the Waves and Golden Bears will square off several times during tomorrow's action, which starts with doubles at 10 a.m. and singles at 12:30 p.m.
Weather was unpredictable in Malibu on Thursday. Wind gusts of 20 miles per hour made for some ugly tennis at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center, yet the Waves made the most of the situation.
Playing in the worst conditions of the day, Linus Carlsson Halldin and Maxi Homberg gutted out a three-set win over Gonzaga's Jay Fairclough and Giovanni Branchetti 6-4, 1-6, 1-0 (14-12). While both teams struggled to gain momentum in a choppy opening set, Carlsson Halldin and Homberg dealt the first blow by breaking the Zags in the third game. That break point ultimately was the difference; the first set was played on serve from that point forward as the Waves won 6-4. However, the Bulldogs evened the score with a lopsided 6-1 second-set victory, sending the match into a third-set tiebreaker.
Gonzaga took an early lead in the superbreaker and rattled off as many as three points in a row to keep its upset bid intact. Despite trailing at the final changeover, aces from Homberg and Carlsson Halldin in the strong wind helped the Waves extend the match. With the score tied at 12, Homberg's successful poaching attempt brought about match point, then Gonzaga double-faulted to hand Pepperdine the first-round win.
Conditions improved for singles play later in the afternoon, yet the result was the same for Pepperdine. Carlsson Halldin and #103 Homberg won their singles matches in straight sets — the latter of whom blitzed UCSB's Gianluca Brunkow 6-4, 6-3 in one of the quickest matches of the day. One court over from Homberg, Carlsson Halldin beat New Mexico's Georgio Samaha 6-2, 6-4, setting up a round of 16 match with #44 Theo Dean of California tomorrow.
Chris Papa finished off Pepperdine's undefeated day by grinding out a 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-5 win over Boise State's James Van Herzeele. Despite taking a 5-2 lead in the second set, Papa needed to fend off Van Herzeele's comeback attempt as the Boise State senior won the next four games to take a 6-5 lead. However, Papa held in the 12th game and prevailed in the breaker 7-6 (2) to force a third set.
The match appeared to go Van Herzeele's way as the Bronco broke Papa on deuce point in the ninth game for a 5-4 lead. But Papa dug deep, broke back to put the match on serve, then held in the eleventh game for a 6-5 lead. In the final game, Papa had enough left in the tank to break Van Herzeele one last time for his third win of the fall season.
Tomorrow's action begins at 10 a.m. with Carlsson Halldin and Homberg's quarterfinal match against #13 Michael Wright and Alex Chang of California. All three singles matches begin at 12:30 p.m.
RESULTS
Doubles Round of 32
Linus Carlsson Halldin/Maxi Homberg (PEPP) def. Jay Fairclough/Giovanni Branchetti (GON), 6-4, 1-6, 1-0 (14-12)
Singles Round of 32
Linus Carlsson Halldin (PEPP) def. Georgio Samaha (UNM) 6-2, 6-4
#103 Maxi Homberg (PEPP) def. Gianluca Brunkow (UCSB) 6-4, 6-3
Chris Papa (PEPP) def. James Van Herzeele (BSU) 5-7 ,7-6 (2), 7-5
