North Carolina
Duke
Men's Tennis Ends Regular Season with 6-1 Loss
June 21, 1999 | Men's Tennis
April 16, 1999
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The third-ranked Duke men's tennis team remained unbeaten in the Atlantic Coast Conference this year by defeating 74th-ranked North Carolina 6-1 Friday afternoon at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. Despite the lopsided score, the Tar Heels actually played one of their best matches of the season in what was the final regular-season performance for Coach Sam Paul's team.
The Blue Devils clinched the match when 47th-ranked Ramsey Smith defeated UNC's Aron Breziner at #4 singles, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2). No 58 Dmitry Muzyka was also victorious for the Blue Devils, beating Carolina's Mike Grass 6-3, 6-3 at #1 singles.
Tar Heel junior Assaf Drori continued his great play for Carolina as he upset 21st-ranked Doug Root of Duke at #2 singles, 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. Drori also combined with fellow junior Remi Adamek to upset Duke's #2 doubles team of Pedro Escudero and Doug Root, 8-6. The Tar Heel duo swept the last three games of the pro-set match to upend the nation's #33 doubles squad. The No. 24 doubles team of Muzyka and Jordan Wile won easily for the Blue Devils at #1, whipping Carolina's Ben Elix and Grass, 8-1.
Duke improved to 18-4 overall and 7-0 in the ACC heading into a match on Sunday in Durham against Virginia. Carolina closes out the regular season 11-13 overall and 3-5 in the ACC. UNC could end up as anywhere >from the #5 through the #8 seed in next week's ACC Tournament in Norcross, Ga. Other ACC matches being played this weekend will determine the Tar Heels' fate. The ACC Tournament opens next Thursday and runs through April 25.
#3 DUKE 6, #74 NORTH CAROLINA 1
At Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.
SINGLES
1. #58 Dmitry Muzyka (DU) d. Michael Grass (UNC) 6-3, 6-3 2. Assaf Drori (UNC) d. #21 Doug Root (DU) 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 3. Pedro Escudero (DU) d. David Cheatwood (UNC) 6-4, 6-2 4. #47 Ramsey Smith (DU) d. Aron Breziner (UNC) 6-4, 7-6 (7-2)* 5. Porter Jones (DU) d. Bjorn Rencken (UNC) 7-5, 6-1 6. Marko Cerenko (DU) d. Chad Riley (UNC) 7-6 (7-1), 6-2 *Clinched Match
DOUBLES
(Played Before Singles, Best 2 of 3 Matches Win 1 pt. toward final score) 1. #24 Dmitry Muzyka-Jordan Wile (DU) d. Ben Elix-Michael Grass (UNC) 8-1 2. Remi Adamek-Assaf Drori (UNC) d. #33 Pedro Escudero-Doug Root (DU) 8-6 3. Porter Jones-Ted Reuger (DU) d. David Cheatwood-Bjorn Rencken (UNC) 8-2RECORDS: Duke 18-4 overall, 7-0 in the ACC; North Carolina 11-13 overall, 3-5 in the ACC
Players Mentioned
