Michigan
TCU
Michigan Upsets No. 1 TCU in Historic Victory
3/2/2022 6:33:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Site: Forth Worth, Texas (Friedman Tennis Center)
Result: #26 Michigan 4, #1 TCU 1
Records: U-M (6-2), TCU (12-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 5 -- at UCF (Orlando, Fla.) 5 p.m.
FORT WORTH, Texas -- A historic win for the University of Michigan men's tennis team came on Wednesday (March 2), as the Wolverines upset the newly minted No. 1-ranked Texas Christian University, 4-1, at the Friedman Tennis Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
This is the first time since rankings were recorded in 1996-97 that Michigan has defeated the No. 1 ranked team. TCU moved from No. 2 to No. 1 on Wednesday (March 2) when the national computer rankings came out, one week after the Horned Frogs won the national indoor championship.
"It's pretty emotional," head coach Adam Steinberg said. "We've been telling these guys they can play at this level and win at this level. We've lost some tough 4-3 matches this season so it feels amazing. I think during the first part of the doubles, they got belief. It's the best match I've seen us play as a team, and individually."
Ondrej Styler cliched the match point at No. 2 singles, defeating No. 16-ranked Juan Carlos Aguilar in three sets. Styler took a 6-4 first set and had a 4-2 lead in the second before Aguilar rallied to win four straight for the 6-4 set. In the third, Styler jumped out to 3-0 and had all eyes on the match with a 5-2 lead and the game tied 40-40. On the rally, Styler sent a backhanded shot that Aguilar couldn't return and the Wolverines stormed the court.
"He's clinched so many matches for us in the past that when it comes down to it, we're confident in him," Steinberg said. "He's been struggling with an injury and that can take a toll, mentally. This week I saw him play really inspired tennis - he was having fun playing again. I'm so happy for him and for the University of Michigan."
DOWN goes No. 1!#GoBlue?? pic.twitter.com/JbvOqJpnwD
— Michigan Men's Tennis (@umichtennis) March 2, 2022
The Wolverines won their sixth doubles point of the season to take the early 1-0 lead over the Horned Frogs. Ondrej Styler and Gavin Young not only played and won their first match at No. 1 doubles, but they did it with a 6-2 win over the No. 5-ranked doubles pair of Luc Fomba/Jake Fearnley, marking the highest ranked duo that Michigan has defeated this season.
It was a battle between No. 14 Andrew Fenty/Nino Ehrenschneider and No. 15 Sander Jong/Lui Maxted at No. 2 doubles but TCU came out on top, 6-4, winning the final two points after being tied on four occasions.
Nick Beaty/Patrick Maloney improved to 4-1 on the season, taking No. 3 doubles 7-6 over Juan Carlos Aguilar/Pedro Vives. Beaty served up an ace to clinch the match, 7-6.
No. 75 ranked Jacob Bickersteth cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 win over No. 123 Sander Jong to stay unbeaten at No. 3 singles. It marked his 12th singles win of the season and lifted Michigan to a 2-0 lead.
Patrick Maloney made it 3-0 and improved to 4-0 at No. 4 singles with matching 6-4 sets over Pedro Vives. It was Maloney's third straight win and 13th on the season as he clinched the match on a serve Vives hit into the net.
TCU got on the board with a win at No. 5 singles as No. 23 Jake Fearnley took a match off of Gavin Young, which snapped his three-match win streak. It did take three sets -- after they each won 6-3 -- before a 7-5 third set went to Fearnley.
Andrew Fenty's match versus No. 14 Luc Fomba at No. 1 and Nino Ehrenschneider's No. 6 singles match with No. 78 Lui Maxted were left abandoned in the third sets.
Michigan will return to action when it heads to UCF for a 5 p.m. match on Saturday (March 5).
Following are match-by-match results
Singles
No. 1 -- Andrew Fenty (U-M) vs. No. 14 Luc Fomba (TCU) 6-7 (5), 7-5, 2-3 abandoned
No. 2 -- Ondrej Styler (U-M) d. No. 16 Juan Carlos Aguilar (TCU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
No. 3 -- No. 75 Jacob Bickersteth (U-M) d. No. 123 Sander Jong (TCU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 -- Patrick Maloney (U-M) d. Pedro Vives (TCU) 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 -- No. 12 Jake Fearnley (TCU) d. Gavin Young (U-M) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
No. 6 -- Nino Ehrenschneider (U-M) vs. No. 78 Lui Maxted (TCU) 4-6, 6-4, 4-4 abandoned
Doubles
No. 1 -- Ondrej Styler/Gavin Young (U-M) d. No. 5 Luc Fomba/Jake Fearnley (TCU) 6-2
No. 2 -- No. 15 Sander Jong/Lui Maxted (TCU) d. No. 14 Andrew Fenty/Nino Ehrenschneider (U-M) 6-4
No. 3 -- Nick Beaty/Patrick Maloney (U-M) d. Juan Carlos Aguilar/Pedro Vives (TCU) 7-6 (3)
Order of Completion: Doubles 1-2-3 Singles 3-4-5-2
Players Mentioned
