Friday, February 23
Seattle, WA
1:00 PM
University of Washington
4
vs
2
Portland
Zharyn, Suko, Lin Push Dawgs Past Pilots
February 23, 2024 | Men's Tennis
SEATTLE β Playing a PNW rival that it knows well, the Husky men's tennis team knew it would have a fight on its hands today at the Nordstrom Tennis Center. The Portland Pilots made a push in singles but Washington responded and secured a 4-2 victory as Nedim Suko and Han-Chih Lin finished three-set victories back-to-back.
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"They're a very tough team, they compete hard, and we knew it was going to be a match where we'd have to earn every single point," said Head Coach Rahim Esmail. "A lot of courts could have gone either way. We found a way to gut it out. Every match on our schedule we expect them to come down to a point here or there to decide it and those are the matches we want to be in."
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The Huskies opened up with a strong doubles point to take the 1-0 lead. Suko and Brett Pearson combined for a 6-3 win at No. 2 over Portland's Brown/Skobelev. Then Han-Chih Lin and Jim Hendrikx earned a 6-4 win, after being down 0-3 to start, at No. 3 doubles over Ocana/Groysman. Cesar Bouchelaghem and Dzianis Zharyn were on serve at No. 1 singles at 5-6 when the point was clinched.
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Portland came out and got an edge early in singles, taking four of the six first sets. But UW would respond to force third sets in three of those four.
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Two straight-set matches were split between the two teams. Washington got a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles from Zharyn over Nicolas Ocana. Portland got its first point as Nikola Keremedchiev stopped Brett Pearson, 6-1, 6-4, at No. 5 singles.
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The remaining four matches all went the distance. Portland briefly tied it up at 2-2 as Jim Hendrikx dropped a tight three setter on court six to Stefan Skobelev. But Suko and Lin were both leading their third sets and trying to close things out.
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Suko completed his match first, defeating Maxim Groysman in a come-from-behind 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 match at the four spot. Then Lin landed the final blow, serving out a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 3 singles over Luka Vukovic. The final match was stopped with Bouchelaghem and Oscar Brown in a third set at No. 1 singles.
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"Nedim does a great job of just hanging in and hanging in, he doesn't go away, and one of his qualities is how hard he fights and competes," said Esmail. "And Han-Chih has been raising the bar for himself the last couple weeks and because he's done that I think he's been able to get through some of these matches that have been crucial for us as a team. He's been able to up his level."
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Washington, which got to 5-4 on the year with the win, will have another challenge in the NTC on Sunday when it hosts Gonzaga at 5 p.m.
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Washington Men's Tennis
February 23, 2024
Seattle, Wash. | Nordstrom Tennis CenterΒ
Β
#57 Washington β 4
Portland β 2
Β
Singles
1. Cesar Bouchelaghem (UW) vs. Oscar Brown (UP) β 4-6, 7-6 (5), 1-4, DNF
2. Dzianis Zharyn (UW) def. Nicolas Ocana (UP) β 6-2, 6-2
3. Han-Chih Lin (UW) def. Luka Vukovic (UP) β 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
4. Nedim Suko (UW) def. Maxim Groysman (UP) β 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
5. Nikola Keremedchiev (UP) def. Brett Pearson (UW) β 6-1, 6-4
6. Stefan Skobelev (UP) def. Jim Hendrikx (UW) β 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 6, 4, 3
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Doubles
1. (#13) Zharyn/Bouchelaghem (UW) vs. Vukovic/Tvedt (UP) β 5-6, DNF
2. Suko/Pearson (UW) def. Brown/Skobelev (UP) β 6-3
3. Hendrikx/Lin (UW) def. Ocana/Groysman (UP) β 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3
Β
Β
"They're a very tough team, they compete hard, and we knew it was going to be a match where we'd have to earn every single point," said Head Coach Rahim Esmail. "A lot of courts could have gone either way. We found a way to gut it out. Every match on our schedule we expect them to come down to a point here or there to decide it and those are the matches we want to be in."
Β
The Huskies opened up with a strong doubles point to take the 1-0 lead. Suko and Brett Pearson combined for a 6-3 win at No. 2 over Portland's Brown/Skobelev. Then Han-Chih Lin and Jim Hendrikx earned a 6-4 win, after being down 0-3 to start, at No. 3 doubles over Ocana/Groysman. Cesar Bouchelaghem and Dzianis Zharyn were on serve at No. 1 singles at 5-6 when the point was clinched.
Zharyn grabs the first point in singles with a 6-2, 6-2 win! ?#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/tOx71r2hQ4
— Washington Men's Tennis (@UW_MTennis) February 23, 2024
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Portland came out and got an edge early in singles, taking four of the six first sets. But UW would respond to force third sets in three of those four.
Β
Two straight-set matches were split between the two teams. Washington got a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles from Zharyn over Nicolas Ocana. Portland got its first point as Nikola Keremedchiev stopped Brett Pearson, 6-1, 6-4, at No. 5 singles.
Β
The remaining four matches all went the distance. Portland briefly tied it up at 2-2 as Jim Hendrikx dropped a tight three setter on court six to Stefan Skobelev. But Suko and Lin were both leading their third sets and trying to close things out.
Β
Suko completed his match first, defeating Maxim Groysman in a come-from-behind 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 match at the four spot. Then Lin landed the final blow, serving out a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 3 singles over Luka Vukovic. The final match was stopped with Bouchelaghem and Oscar Brown in a third set at No. 1 singles.
Β
"Nedim does a great job of just hanging in and hanging in, he doesn't go away, and one of his qualities is how hard he fights and competes," said Esmail. "And Han-Chih has been raising the bar for himself the last couple weeks and because he's done that I think he's been able to get through some of these matches that have been crucial for us as a team. He's been able to up his level."
Hans wears down another one and that clinches a Husky WIN!
— Washington Men's Tennis (@UW_MTennis) February 24, 2024
Five in a row for Han-Chih as the Dawgs earn the 4??-2?? victory!#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/SpPFFj7Y2C
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Washington, which got to 5-4 on the year with the win, will have another challenge in the NTC on Sunday when it hosts Gonzaga at 5 p.m.
Β
Β
Washington Men's Tennis
February 23, 2024
Seattle, Wash. | Nordstrom Tennis CenterΒ
Β
#57 Washington β 4
Portland β 2
Β
Singles
1. Cesar Bouchelaghem (UW) vs. Oscar Brown (UP) β 4-6, 7-6 (5), 1-4, DNF
2. Dzianis Zharyn (UW) def. Nicolas Ocana (UP) β 6-2, 6-2
3. Han-Chih Lin (UW) def. Luka Vukovic (UP) β 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
4. Nedim Suko (UW) def. Maxim Groysman (UP) β 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
5. Nikola Keremedchiev (UP) def. Brett Pearson (UW) β 6-1, 6-4
6. Stefan Skobelev (UP) def. Jim Hendrikx (UW) β 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 6, 4, 3
Β
Doubles
1. (#13) Zharyn/Bouchelaghem (UW) vs. Vukovic/Tvedt (UP) β 5-6, DNF
2. Suko/Pearson (UW) def. Brown/Skobelev (UP) β 6-3
3. Hendrikx/Lin (UW) def. Ocana/Groysman (UP) β 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3
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Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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