VIDEO: Jim Frederick Interview
VIDEO: Gabriel Dabdab Interview
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Five players competing in their first-ever collegiate matches earned victories in singles as Carson-Newman men's tennis opened the season with a 7-0 sweep over Martin Methodist College Friday at the Knoxville Racquet Club.
It is the first time since the 2014 season that the team has started off in the win column.
"What I liked the most is the way we took charge of matches," head coach Jim Frederick said postmatch. "We won on our own accord; we won the way we wanted to play."
The lone competitor in the singles portion of Friday's match who also saw the court for C-N last year, No. 2 singles player Rintaro Oka (Narita, Japan), opened his season with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over opponent Clement Martin. Oka finished last season with a 5-5 overall record at the second slot.
A quartet of freshmen; Hugo Castets (Gradigan, France), Marc Janse (Zeewolde, Netherlands), Ids Waterbolk (Beenekom, Netherlands) and Joshua Ott (Knoxville, Tenn.) all claimed victories in their matches, with Ott (1-6, 6-1, 7-6) fighting back from an early deficit in the third and final set to blank the RedHawks. The trio of Castets, Janse and Waterbolk earned straight-set triumphs to start off the spring.
Graduate transfer Julian Froehlich (Kobenz, Austria) also earned his first match victory in a C-N uniform, defeating Juan Camilo Monono 6-1, 6-1.
Senior captain Gabriel Dabdab (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) was thoroughly impressed with his group of young teammates that exceled on the court Friday night.
"I'm really glad for the group of freshmen that we have this year," Dabdab said. "They are unbelievable in a way, that they take charge of the match and they don't feel the pressure of playing a collegiate match."
It's the team's first sweep since the team took down UVa-Wise on Feb 10, 2019.
A challenging opponent lies ahead for the Eagles in the Lee Flames, who are coming off of a program-high in victories last season with 17. Last year's match, a 5-2 loss came down to the wire with the final two match points needed going the way of Lee in the third set.
"We had the chance (last year)," Dabdab said. "I imagine that tomorrow is going to be really even as well."
C-N will look to go 2-0 for the first time since 2013 when they take on a Gulf South Conference opponent that leads the series head-to-head by a 3-1 margin. Opening serve from Knoxville is set for 2 p.m.
