BABSON PARK, Fla. – In a 5-4 upset the Warner University men’s tennis team took down No. 18 Webber International University on Tuesday afternoon. The Royals used a 3-0 doubles sweep to propel them into singles action where they captured No. 1 and No. 2 singles to clinch the match victory over their rivals. Warner now sits at 1-1 (1-0) on the season while the loss drops the Warriors to 3-1 (1-1 TSC).
The Royals got off to as good a start as a team can in their The Sun Conference opener beginning with doubles play. Julian Ramirez-Luna and his partner Vitor Schepper were tested early in No. 1 doubles trailing 3-1. However, following a quick pep-talk from head coach Jose Martinez, the duo scored the final seven points to take the set 8-3. Patrick Frandji and Amar Vora faced a similar battle in their set holding on for the 8-6 win. Frandji and Vora remain undefeated on the season after winning their doubles match against NCAA-II Saint Leo University last Sunday, Feb. 5.
In the third doubles set, Diogo Barros and Juanes Espinel made quick work of their opponents in an 8-2 win sending the Royals into singles play needing only two wins to clinch the match victory.
All-Conference first teamer Julian Ramirez-Luna took care of business in No. 1 singles defeating Daniel Spurny 6-0, 6-4. In No. 2 singles newcomer Patrick Frandji breezed through his match 6-1, 6-0. Frandji is currently the 18th ranked player in the NAIA South Men’s Rankings. With the two wins to start singles play, the Royals clinched the match victory with four singles left to play.
Amar Vora had a tough round in No. 3 singles, dropping both sets 6-2, 6-0. Akharis Sa-ardphanchai had one of the better matches on the day but fell in his No. 4 singles match to Valentin Bayh 7-5, 6-4. Both Juanes Espinel and Vitor Schepper saw their matches go to a 10-point tie breaker but neither was able to pull out the victory. The damage was done however, and the Royals came away with the upset and their first conference victory of the season.
Coach Martinez expressed the significance of the win to his players after the match, “I told them that I was so proud of them. To get a win over a historically good team that is consistently ranked in Top 25 is huge for our program.”
“It’s nice for us to get the win over a ranked team and move forward with this momentum,” Coach Martinez said. Next up for the Royals is a home conference match-up against Northwood University on Feb. 21. The Seahawks are currently receiving votes in the NAIA Men’s Tennis Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll. Prior to that, the Royals’ JV squad will take on Webber International University today, Feb. 16, at 3 p.m. over in Babson Park, Fla.