TSU Tigers Earn Hard Fought Win Over Arkansas Pine Bluff

MEMPHIS, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State men’s tennis team defeated Arkansas Pine Bluff 5-2 for their 4th win of the season.

TSU won two out of three doubles matches, before taking four out of six singles matches in straight sets for the win.

“The guys played a rough match,” Head Coach Monroe Walker III said. “We got the win which is most important. The conditions were not ideal but we played tough. It was a good match and Pine Bluff has gotten better since last year. We need to keep improving. Shashank played great today and was very impressive. We cannot play loose. We have to have a dominating mentality. I am looking forward to our matches tomorrow.

Matt Brown and Grant Maddox edged out a tough doubles win at the No. 1 slot by a 7-6 score. Shashank Nautiyal and Larry Sloan combination played together for the first time this season winning the No. 3 doubles match with a convincing 6-1 win.

After the Tigers dropped the first two matches in singles, TSU bounced back to win the next four singles matches to earn a hard fought win. Tom Parant won a three set thriller playing at No. 3 by scores of 6-3, 5-7, 7-5. Nautiyal cruised to his win at No.4 6-2, 6-1. Kyle Burton won his team leading 9th victory of the season at No. 5 with 7-5 6-1 win. Maddox closed the match at No. 6 with a dominating 6-0, 6-2 win.

The Tigers take on Rhodes and LeMoyne Owen today to close out the matches in Memphis.

Singles competition

1. GREIG, Jualon (APB) def. BROWN, Matthew (TSUM) 6-2, 6-3
2. RAHMAN, Sajid (APB) def. RICHARDSON, Kato (TSUM) 6-2, 6-2
3. PARANT, Tom (TSUM) def. LEWIS, Simon (APB) 6-3, 5-7, 7-5
4. NAUTIYAL, Shashank (TSUM) def. VANGALA, Aravind (APB) 6-2, 6-1
5. BURTON, Kyle (TSUM) def. LEDBETTER, Le'darrie (APB) 7-5, 6
-1
6. MADDOX, Grant (TSUM) def. LEDWABA, Khusto (APB) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. MADDOX, Grant/BROWN, Matthew (TSUM) def. RAHMAN, Sajid/LEWIS, Simon (APB) 7-6
2. GREIG, Jualon/LEDBETTER, Le'darrie (APB) def. BURTON, Kyle/PARANT, Tom (TSUM) 7-5
3. SLOAN, Larry/NAUTIYAL, Shashank (TSUM) def. LEDWABA, Khusto/VANGALA, Aravind (APB) 6-1

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