Men’s Tennis Posts Come-From-Behind Conference Win

Saturday, April 6

Charlotte, N.C.

3:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

Charlotte

2019 FAU Men's Tennis @ Miami Gabriel Sidney 2019

Photo by: JC Ridley/Owlpix.com

4/6/2019 8:25:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Down 1-0 early, then 3-2 late and facing the clinching point, the Florida Atlantic University men's tennis team got tiebreak wins from their two seniors, Mehdi Laalej and Gabriel Sidney, to overcome Charlotte on Saturday night, 4-3, to move to 3-0 in Conference USA play.

Notables:

Trailing after doubles, the Owls (17-8, 3-0 C-USA) quickly gained the lead on straight-set wins by No. 6 Alvaro Fernandez Horta (6-1, 6-1) and No. 1 Jason Legall (6-0, 6-2)
Charlotte (8-13, 0-2 C-USA) got wins at No. 2 and No. 5 to push back ahead
Laalej was taken to a second-set tiebreak at No. 3, but got the win to make it a 3-3 match, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
It came down to No. 4 Sidney. He had won the first set, again in a tiebreak, 7-6 (7-1), before getting equaled by a 3-6 decision in the second. Taken all the way out in the final set, he was able to win the match for the Owls, 7-6 (7-4)

Quotable

Head Coach Ricardo Gonzalez:
"I have no words to describe the emotions I feel right now. This is a very special team that we have this year and today is an extra special day for our senior captain, Gabriel Sidney. Gabe was put in this same situation last year against Charlotte during this same tournament and lost the deciding match 7-6 in the 3rd set. Gabriel lost another deciding match earlier this year against USF. Many tears and mixed emotions after these matches as he felt as though he had failed our team. I always told him he would have plenty of more opportunities throughout the season and that he needed to keep his head up and keep working. He was persistent through the process and today was his day he turned the table around and the match ended today with only tears of joy for him and our team. In the good times and the bad times, we are here for each other. So happy for our continued progress."

Senior and team captain Gabriel Sidney:
"Incredible match today against Charlotte. I could feel how bad we wanted to win since the doubles point but we knew it wouldn't be easy. Last year when we played Charlotte, I was in the same position to decide the match but unfortunately, it didn't come out my way. When I realized that my match was the decisive one again, I told myself I would not let that happen again and I would do it for my teammates. Very happy for the way I fought on the court and for giving FAU this amazing victory!"

Full Results:
FAU 4, Charlotte 3
Doubles
1. #30 Luca Keist/C. Christoforou (CHA) def. #81 Jason Legall/Ignacio Garcia (FAU) 7-6 (7-3)
2. Benjamin Wayand/Ignasi de Rueda (CHA) def. Mehdi Laalej/Gabriel Sidney (FAU) 6-3
3. Kirac Bekisoglu/A. Fernandez Horta (FAU) def. Oliver Sec/Leonardo Menezes (CHA) 7-5

Singles
1. Jason Legall (FAU) def. #118 Luca Keist (CHA) 6-0, 6-2
2. Ignasi de Rueda (CHA) def. Kirac Bekisoglu (FAU) 6-3, 6-1
3. Mehdi Laalej (FAU) def. Benjamin Wayand (CHA) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
4. Gabriel Sidney (FAU) def. C. Christoforou (CHA) 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 7-6 (7-4)
5. Oliver Sec (CHA) def. Ignacio Garcia (FAU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-1
6. Alvaro Fernandez Horta (FAU) def. Leonardo Menezes (CHA) 6-1, 6-1

What's Next

The finale in Charlotte against league opponents comes Sunday at 10 a.m. against Middle Tennessee. That will close out regular season play ahead of the 2019 C-USA Championship, April 19-21 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.