VCU Nips Green Wave in Top 40 Showdown

Friday, March 17

San Diego, CA

11:00 AM

Tulane University

VCU

Billy Suarez

Mar 17, 2023 | Men's Tennis

SAN DIEGO – It came right down to the wire on the first day of competition at the Ed Collins Spring Classic between the #35 Tulane and #36 VCU men's tennis teams, yet it was the Rams who emerged with the 4-3 triumph Friday afternoon at the Aztec Tennis Center.

VCU improved to 12-3 overall and the Green Wave dropped to 9-6.

The Rams took the doubles point to begin the contest. However, Tulane's Billy Suarez came back from a first-set deficit and won 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 3 singles. The Green Wave also got wins at the bottom of the lineup from Alex Bancila (6-2, 6-3) at No. 5 and Rafael de Alba (6-1, 3-6, 6-1) at No. 6.

With the overall match tied at 3, the decider ended up being the No. 2 singles match between VCU's xxx and Tulane's Luka Petrovic. Petrovic won the first set 7-5, but xxx took the final two 6-3, 6-4 to cement the win for the Rams.

Tulane is back in action tomorrow morning at 1 p.m. CT/11 a.m. PT against co-host San Diego State.

Singles
#1 Charles Bertimon (VCU) def. Fynn Kuenkler (Tulane) 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 0-6
#2 Matisse Bobichon (VCU) def. Luka Petrovic (Tulane) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
#3 Billy Suarez (Tulane) def. Maxence Bertimon (VCU) 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
#4 Rayane Stable (VCU) def. Luc Hoeijmans (Tulane) 6-4, 6-3
#5 Alex Bancila (Tulane) def. Joaquim Almeida (VCU) 6-2, 6-3
#6 Rafael de Alba (Tulane) def. Romain Gales (VCU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1

Doubles
#1 Charlie Barry/Benji Jacobson (Tulane) vs. Bobichon/Stable (VCU) 4-4, unfinished
#2 Bertimon/Bertimon (VCU) def. Kuenkler/Petrovic (Tulane), 6-2
#3 Gales/Almeida (VCU) def. Suarez/de Alba (Tulane), 6-3

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