SMU Men’s Tennis Dominates UTRGV, Sets Sights on TCU Showdown
SMU Men’s Tennis secured a decisive 5-2 victory over UTRGV Friday at the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex, showcasing a strong performance and setting the stage for a challenging match against No. 4 TCU. The Mustangs quickly gained control, clinching the win with four consecutive points before adding another in singles play.
Mustangs Showcase Early Strength
The SMU team demonstrated early dominance, winning the first four points to secure a 4-0 lead. A standout performance came from Alex Finkelstein, who proved nearly untouchable throughout the day. According to reports from the match, Finkelstein lost only one game across both his doubles and singles contests. He achieved a remarkable “double bagel” in his singles match, winning 6-0, 6-0, after a strong showing in doubles alongside Krish Arora with a 6-1 victory.
The match also marked the debut of freshman Matthew Faraci in singles play and Alex Stafford’s first appearance of the season in doubles. The team experimented with new doubles pairings, with Arora teaming up with Finkelstein and Stafford playing alongside Meethre Feeding. Notably, this was the first match of the season without the participation of Trevor Svajda and Georgi Georgiev in the SMU lineup.
Doubles Play Sets the Tone
The Mustangs started strong in doubles, with Arora and Finkelstein defeating Sam Whitehead and Will Roberts 6-1 on court two. UTRGV responded by winning on court three, as Santi Serrano and Loic Young defeated Barot and Stafford 6-2, forcing a decisive third doubles match.
The doubles point was ultimately clinched by Jerry Barton and Vikas Deo, who secured a 7-5 victory on court one.
Singles Play Seals the Victory
Finkelstein continued his exceptional form into singles play, overpowering Sam Whitehead with a 6-0, 6-0 win on court one. Barton extended SMU’s lead to 3-0 with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Santi Serrano on court three. Arora then clinched the overall victory for SMU, defeating Ivo Isqueiro 6-3, 6-2 on court two.
While SMU had already secured the win, the remaining matches saw mixed results. UTRGV’s Michael Chan earned a point for the visitors with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Faraci on court six, and Loic Young secured another point for UTRGV with a 6-4, 4-6, 10-4 victory over Deo on court five. Noah McDonald ultimately closed out the day with a hard-fought win on court four, defeating Will Roberts 7-5, 4-6, 11-9, bringing the final score to 5-2.
Match Results:
- Doubles:
- Jerry Barton / Vikas Deo def. Sam Whitehead / Will Roberts (7-5)
- Krish Arora / Alex Finkelstein def. Ivo Isqueiro / Paolo Bonaguro (6-1)
- Santi Serrano / Loic Young def. Meethre Feeding / Alex Stafford (6-2)
- Singles:
- Alex Finkelstein def. Sam Whitehead (6-0, 6-0)
- Krish Arora def. Ivo Isqueiro (6-3, 6-2)
- Jerry Barton def. Santi Serrano (6-2, 6-3)
- Noah McDonald def. Will Roberts (7-5, 4-6, 11-9)
- Loic Young def. Vikas Deo (6-4, 4-6, 10-4)
- Michael Chan def. Matthew Faraci (6-4, 6-3)
Looking Ahead
SMU will face a significant challenge on Saturday, hosting No. 4 TCU at the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex at 1 pm CT. This match promises to be a test of the Mustangs’ momentum and a key contest in their season.
