Sunday, February 17
Chicago
1:00 PM ET
North Carolina
2
vs
4
Wake Forest
Freshman Brian Cernoch picked up a win at No. 4 singles.
Photo by: UNC Athletic Communications
Tar Heels Knocked Out in Chicago By Defending Champion
February 17, 2019 | Men's Tennis
CHICAGO – The North Carolina men's tennis team fell to top-ranked Wake Forest 4-2 Sunday in the semifinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, played at Midtown Athletic Club. The eighth-ranked Tar Heels fall to 7-2 with the loss.
The Demon Deacons, defending champions in this event, advance to the final on Monday and will face top-seeded Ohio State or fifth-seeded Texas, which played in the other semifinal.
This year marked the third time in the past four years that the Tar Heels have earned a semifinals spot at ITA National Team Indoors, an event that brings together the top 16 teams in the country.
On Sunday, Wake Forest won the doubles point, with two courts coming down to tiebreakers. On Court 3, Carolina sophomore Mac Kiger and junior Simon Soendergaard pulled out a victory, 7-6(8-6), but on Court 1 it went the other way, with Wake winning 7-6(7-2).
The Tar Heels started strong in singles, taking the first two points. Freshman Brian Cernoch earned a straight-sets win on Court 4, 6-2, 6-4 over Melios Efstathiou to make the score 1-1. On Court 5, senior Blaine Boyden beat Siddhant Banthia 7-6(7-4), 6-2 to pull Carolina ahead, 2-1.
WFU then closed out the next three singles matches to clinch the win. On Court 1, junior William Blumberg fell to Borna Gojo in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.
On Court 2, it was Petros Chrysochos over UNC sophomore Benjamin Sigouin, 7-6(7-4), 3-6, 6-3.
Wake clinched the win with a victory on Court 3, where Bar Botzer beat UNC's Josh Peck, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.
No. 1 Wake Forest 4, No. 8 UNC 2
Singles
Order of finish: 4,5,1,2,3
Doubles
Order of finish: 2,1,3
Records: UNC 7-2, Wake Forest 12-1
The Demon Deacons, defending champions in this event, advance to the final on Monday and will face top-seeded Ohio State or fifth-seeded Texas, which played in the other semifinal.
This year marked the third time in the past four years that the Tar Heels have earned a semifinals spot at ITA National Team Indoors, an event that brings together the top 16 teams in the country.
On Sunday, Wake Forest won the doubles point, with two courts coming down to tiebreakers. On Court 3, Carolina sophomore Mac Kiger and junior Simon Soendergaard pulled out a victory, 7-6(8-6), but on Court 1 it went the other way, with Wake winning 7-6(7-2).
The Tar Heels started strong in singles, taking the first two points. Freshman Brian Cernoch earned a straight-sets win on Court 4, 6-2, 6-4 over Melios Efstathiou to make the score 1-1. On Court 5, senior Blaine Boyden beat Siddhant Banthia 7-6(7-4), 6-2 to pull Carolina ahead, 2-1.
WFU then closed out the next three singles matches to clinch the win. On Court 1, junior William Blumberg fell to Borna Gojo in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.
On Court 2, it was Petros Chrysochos over UNC sophomore Benjamin Sigouin, 7-6(7-4), 3-6, 6-3.
Wake clinched the win with a victory on Court 3, where Bar Botzer beat UNC's Josh Peck, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.
No. 1 Wake Forest 4, No. 8 UNC 2
Singles
Order of finish: 4,5,1,2,3
- Borna Gojo (WF) d. William Blumberg (UNC), 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
- Petros Chrysochos (WF) d. Benjamin Sigouin (UNC), 7-6(7-4), 3-6, 6-3
- Bar Botzer (WF) d. Josh Peck (UNC), 3-6, 7-5, 6-1
- Brian Cernoch (UNC) d. Melios Efstathiou (WF), 6-2, 6-4
- Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Siddhant Banthia (WF), 7-6, 6-2
- Yuval Solomon (WF) v. Simon Soendergaard (UNC), 6-2, 3-6, 3-5 UF
Doubles
Order of finish: 2,1,3
- Gadjiev/Gojo (WF) d. Sigouin/Cernoch (UNC), 7-6(7-2)
- Botzer/Chrysochos (WF) d. Boyden/Blumberg (UNC), 6-3
- Kiger/Soendergaard UNC) d. Banthia/Zlobinsky, 7-6(8-6)
Records: UNC 7-2, Wake Forest 12-1
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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