University of North Carolina Athletics
Benjamin Sigouin won the cliniching singles match for Carolina.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Top Moments of 2019-20: Tar Heels Shutout No. 11 TCU On The Road
June 10, 2020 | Men's Tennis
More Top Moments of 2019-20:
Soendergaard & Kiger Reach Fall ITA Doubles Semifinal
Tar Heels Sweep #7 Wolfpack On The Road
When Carolina Athletics canceled all spring competitions on March 17, 2020, in accordance with the Atlantic Coast Conference's decision due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, its men's tennis team was in the middle of possibly the best season in program history. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 2 in the ITA national rankings with a 12-1 record and sat atop the ACC standings. The team reached the finals of the ITA Indoor National Championships in Madison, Wisc., in February, beating the No. 1 team in the nation along the way.
Please continue to visit GoHeels.com as we look back on the impressive achievements of 27th-year head coach Sam Paul and his team in 2019-20.
Benjamin Sigouin won the clinching match at No. 2 singles to lift the fifth-ranked University of North Carolina men's tennis team to its seventh consecutive win, 6-0, at 11th-ranked TCU on February 9 at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
Sigouin beat No. 125 Luc Fomba 7-6 (3), 6-3 to clinch the victory after William Blumberg won his match at No. 1 singles over No. 55 Alastair Gray and No. 80 Josh Peck came from behind to beat Tomas Jirousek 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3. Brian Cernoch later his match at No. 4, and Rinky Hijikata chalked up a win at No. 3 when #122 Tadeas Paroulek retired.
Carolina (7-0) remained undefeated on the season with all seven victories by shutout. The Tar Heels at that point had won three consecutive dual matches over ranked opponents, having beaten then-No. 19 Illinois and No. 12 South Carolina in Chapel Hill the previous weekend.
Sigouin and Rinky Hijikata won their match at No. 3 doubles, 6-3, before TCU won at No. 1 doubles when No. 34 Alastair Gray and Jacob Fearnley beat Blumberg and Cernoch.
Simon Soendergaard and Mac Kiger, ranked third in the nation in the latest ITA rankings, won the deciding doubles point for Carolina. They led their match, 5-2, before losing four straight games. Kiger served to keep it alive and force a tiebreaker. After trailing, 3-2, in the tiebreaker, Soendergaard and Kiger won the last five points to grab the win.
Tennis Match Results
North Carolina vs TCU
2/9/2020 at Fort Worth, Texas (Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center)
#5 North Carolina 6, #11 TCU 0
Singles competition
1. William Blumberg (NC) def. #55 Alastair Gray (TCU) 6-1, 7-5
2. #60 Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. #125 Luc Fomba (TCU) 7-6, 6-3
3. Rinky Hijikata (NC) def. #122 Tadeas Paroulek (TCU) 4-6, 6-2, 2-1, retired
4. Brian Cernoch (NC) def. Bertus Kruger (TCU) 6-4, 6-4
5. #80 Josh Peck (NC) def. Tomas Jirousek (TCU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
6. Sander Jong (TCU) vs. Simon Soendergaard (NC) 5-5, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #34 Alastair Gray/Jacob Fearnley (TCU) def. William Blumberg/Brian Cernoch (NC) 6-4
2. #3 Mac Kiger/Simon Soendergaard (NC) def. Sander Jong/Tadeas Paroulek (TCU) 7-6 (7-3)
3. Rinky Hijikata/Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. Luc Fomba/Bertus Kruger (TCU) 6-3
Match Notes:
North Carolina 7-0; National ranking #5
TCU 3-3; National ranking #11
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,4,2,3,5)
Soendergaard & Kiger Reach Fall ITA Doubles Semifinal
Tar Heels Sweep #7 Wolfpack On The Road
When Carolina Athletics canceled all spring competitions on March 17, 2020, in accordance with the Atlantic Coast Conference's decision due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, its men's tennis team was in the middle of possibly the best season in program history. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 2 in the ITA national rankings with a 12-1 record and sat atop the ACC standings. The team reached the finals of the ITA Indoor National Championships in Madison, Wisc., in February, beating the No. 1 team in the nation along the way.
Please continue to visit GoHeels.com as we look back on the impressive achievements of 27th-year head coach Sam Paul and his team in 2019-20.
Benjamin Sigouin won the clinching match at No. 2 singles to lift the fifth-ranked University of North Carolina men's tennis team to its seventh consecutive win, 6-0, at 11th-ranked TCU on February 9 at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
Sigouin beat No. 125 Luc Fomba 7-6 (3), 6-3 to clinch the victory after William Blumberg won his match at No. 1 singles over No. 55 Alastair Gray and No. 80 Josh Peck came from behind to beat Tomas Jirousek 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3. Brian Cernoch later his match at No. 4, and Rinky Hijikata chalked up a win at No. 3 when #122 Tadeas Paroulek retired.
Final Score UNC 4 TCU 0 Sigouin clinches 7-6(3), 6-3 over Fomba pic.twitter.com/sVREQ8LCJv
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) February 9, 2020
UNC 3, TCU 0 Cernoch d. Kruger 6-4, 6-4; rallies from 4-1 down in 1st to win 11 of match's final 15 games. pic.twitter.com/uNoVJMVLjS
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) February 9, 2020
UNC 2 TCU 0 Blumberg d. Gray (#55) 6-1, 7-5 pic.twitter.com/jnqyugQ6QD
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) February 9, 2020
Carolina (7-0) remained undefeated on the season with all seven victories by shutout. The Tar Heels at that point had won three consecutive dual matches over ranked opponents, having beaten then-No. 19 Illinois and No. 12 South Carolina in Chapel Hill the previous weekend.
Sigouin and Rinky Hijikata won their match at No. 3 doubles, 6-3, before TCU won at No. 1 doubles when No. 34 Alastair Gray and Jacob Fearnley beat Blumberg and Cernoch.
Simon Soendergaard and Mac Kiger, ranked third in the nation in the latest ITA rankings, won the deciding doubles point for Carolina. They led their match, 5-2, before losing four straight games. Kiger served to keep it alive and force a tiebreaker. After trailing, 3-2, in the tiebreaker, Soendergaard and Kiger won the last five points to grab the win.
UNC 1 TCU 0 Soendergaard/Kiger clinch 7-6(3) pic.twitter.com/FJBfDUvwzf
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) February 9, 2020
Carolina victory!
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) February 9, 2020
The Tar Heels improve to 7-0 with a 5-0 win at No. 11 TCU on Sunday.#GoHeels 🐏🎾 pic.twitter.com/qpUHz1vYEN
Tennis Match Results
North Carolina vs TCU
2/9/2020 at Fort Worth, Texas (Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center)
#5 North Carolina 6, #11 TCU 0
Singles competition
1. William Blumberg (NC) def. #55 Alastair Gray (TCU) 6-1, 7-5
2. #60 Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. #125 Luc Fomba (TCU) 7-6, 6-3
3. Rinky Hijikata (NC) def. #122 Tadeas Paroulek (TCU) 4-6, 6-2, 2-1, retired
4. Brian Cernoch (NC) def. Bertus Kruger (TCU) 6-4, 6-4
5. #80 Josh Peck (NC) def. Tomas Jirousek (TCU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
6. Sander Jong (TCU) vs. Simon Soendergaard (NC) 5-5, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #34 Alastair Gray/Jacob Fearnley (TCU) def. William Blumberg/Brian Cernoch (NC) 6-4
2. #3 Mac Kiger/Simon Soendergaard (NC) def. Sander Jong/Tadeas Paroulek (TCU) 7-6 (7-3)
3. Rinky Hijikata/Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. Luc Fomba/Bertus Kruger (TCU) 6-3
Match Notes:
North Carolina 7-0; National ranking #5
TCU 3-3; National ranking #11
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,4,2,3,5)
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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