Tennis (M)

Arkansas Prevails over Illinois State, Improves to 5-0 on Season

Drew Watzke January 23, 2022
Box Score - Match 1 Box Score - Match 2

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Razorbacks (5-0) completed their third and fourth matches in three days in their doubleheader against Illinois State (0-5) Sunday, and the Hogs came away with two more victories to mark five-straight wins to start the spring season. Arkansas took the matches, 7-0, 6-1.

Arkansas was coming off a doubleheader sweep of Omaha on Friday and showed no signs of fatigue, racing through the doubles point in less than 30 minutes to start. The Razorbacks went on to sweep the singles slate, highlighted by senior Nico Rousset winning in straight sets in the No. 1 singles position and sophomore Foster Rogers claiming a victory in his first match of the season. 

The second match of the day featured some tougher play from the visiting Redbirds, but Arkansas stood strong, taking the doubles point thanks to a clinching win by Jake Sweeney and Hunter Harrison, taking down Illinois State’s top doubles team of Pol Botifoll Rius and Zacharias Rankloo Rasmusson, 7-5.

The final stretch of singles to close out the day was mainly dominated by the Hogs, as Arkansas clinched its second win over Illinois State on the day after Riccardo Trione breezed to a 6-2, 6-2 win. Arkansas won five of the six singles matches, each in straight sets.

“The team put in a lot of work this weekend,” Arkansas Head Coach Andy Jackson said, “and I’m pleased with the effort. Tennis-wise, we can make many improvements. It’s Important to win these matches but also it helps us get prepared for a big challenge next week.”

Next up for Arkansas is a trip to Starkville, Mississippi, to compete in the ITA Indoor Kickoff event. Arkansas will face the host No. 21 Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday and then either Alabama or No. 11 Kentucky on Sunday.

Results:

Match 1-

Singles competition

  1. Nico Rousset (ARK) def. Nam Pham (ISU-M) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) 
  2. Oscar Pinto Sansano (ARK) def. Pol Botifoll Rius (ISU-M) 6-3, 6-2 
  3. Melvin Manuel (ARK) def. Melker Isaksson (ISU-M) 6-0, 6-3 
  4. Jacob Sweeney (ARK) def. Diego Herrera (ISU-M) 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-3) 
  5. Riccardo Trione (ARK) def. Dominick Cuchran (ISU-M) 6-1, 6-3 
  6. Foster Rogers (ARK) def. Arvid Hjalte (ISU-M) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-2)

Doubles competition 

  1. Alex Reco/Nico Rousset (ARK) def. Diego Le Gal Perez/Melker Isaksson (ISU-M) 6-0 
  2. Hunter Harrison/Jacob Sweeney (ARK) def. Arvid Hjalte/Zane Kohrs (ISU-M) 6-1 
  3. Riccardo Trione/Oscar Pinto Sansano (ARK) vs. Pol Botifoll Rius/Zacharias Rasmusson (ISU-M) 4-2, unfinished

 

Match 2-

Singles competition 

  1. #25 Aleksa Bucan (ARK) def. Nam Pham (ISU-M) 6-1, 6-2 
  2. Adrien Burdet (ARK) def. Pol Botifoll Rius (ISU-M) 6-3, 6-0 
  3. Hunter Harrison (ARK) def. Dominick Cuchran (ISU-M) 6-3, 6-4 
  4. Riccardo Trione (ARK) def. Arvid Hjalte (ISU-M) 6-2, 6-2 
  5. Jacob Sweeney (ARK) def. Zane Kohrs (ISU-M) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 
  6. Ming-Chieh Chiu (ISU-M) def. Josh Bortnick (ARK) 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 1-0 (10-6) 

Doubles competition 

  1. #36 Melvin Manuel/Adrien Burdet (ARK) def. Zane Kohrs/Arvid Hjalte (ISU-M) 6-1 
  2. Hunter Harrison/Jacob Sweeney (ARK) def. Pol Botifoll Rius/Zacharias Rasmusson (ISU-M) 7-5 
  3. Ming-Chieh Chiu/Nam Pham (ISU-M) def. Josh Bortnick/Foster Rogers (ARK) 6-2
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