STANFORD, Calif. – No. 6 Stanford opened its eight-match homestand with a 4-0 victory over UC Davis Friday afternoon at Taube Tennis Stadium.
The Cardinal won its third straight match to improve to 8-2 in dual play with its fifth shutout of the season. The Aggies fell to 7-3 on the year.
Stanford fought back from an early deficit to secure the doubles point. Jack Barber and William Genesen responded from a Cardinal defeat at No. 1 with a win at No. 3. It came down to No. 2, where Sameer Kumar and Timothy Sah delivered. Down, 3-2, midway through the match, the Cardinal duo won the next three games. Kumar later sealed the win and the doubles point with an ace.
Points two and three came courtesy of straight-set wins from Sah (No. 4) and Barber (No. 5) to put Stanford on the doorstep of capturing the match.
Michael Genender and UC Davis' Nil Giraldez were locked in a tight second set that went to a tiebreaker. Genender took the first set and his eyes were on the clincher.
However, over at No. 1, Alexandre Rotsaert beat him to it. The freshman sealed a three-set win, when Ivan Thamma's service return went wide. Rotsaert put his hands in the air in celebration, as the Cardinal captured the match.
Stanford turns its attention to California on Sunday. The two Bay Area rivals will face off in the Big Slam at 1 p.m. at Taube Tennis Stadium.
No. 6 Stanford 4, UC Davis 0
DOUBLES
1. Ivan Thamma/David Goulak (UCD) d. Axel Geller/Alexandre Rotsaert (STAN) 6-3
2. Sameer Kumar/Timothy Sah (STAN) d. Daniel Landa/Alex Scemanenco (UCD) 6-4
3. Jack Barber/William Genesen (STAN) d. Chethan Swanson/Dariush Jalali (UCD) 6-3
Order of Finish: 1,3,2
SINGLES
1. No. 39 Alexandre Rotsaert (STAN) d. Ivan Thamma (UCD) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
2. No. 31 Sameer Kumar (STAN) led David Goulak (UCD) 3-6, 6-2, 3-2
3. Michael Genender (STAN) led Nil Giraldez (UCD) 6-1, 6-6 (5-6)
4. Timothy Sah (STAN) d. Chethan Swanson (UCD) 6-1, 6-1
5. Jack Barber (STAN) d. Arjith Jayaraman (UCD) 6-0, 6-4
6. Daniel Landa (UCD) led Kento Perera (STAN) 6-4, 3-6, 3-2
Order of Finish: 4,5,1