TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – It was a thrilling showdown on Friday as the Duke and Florida State men’s tennis teams faced off. After trailing 3-1, the Blue Devils staged a remarkable comeback, winning 4-3.
Duke, ranked No. 44, stumbled at the start, losing the doubles point. They were also behind in several singles matches. But the tide turned when Gerard Planelles Ripoll, Pedro Rodenas, and Alexander Visser all fought to victory, each clinching their matches in gripping three-set tiebreakers.
Let’s break down how the match unfolded:
Florida State quickly secured the doubles point with strong performances on courts two and three. On court three, Luis Felipe Miguel and Gabor Hornung defeated Dylan Long and Alexander Visser 6-2. They took control early and maintained their lead.
Next, Mohammad Alkotop and Justin Lyons added another point for the Seminoles, winning 6-3 against Cooper Williams and Teddy Truwit after pulling ahead 4-1.
Florida State’s Lyons then extended their lead to 2-0, beating Saahith Jayaraman 6-1, 6-3. Jayaraman rallied in the second set but couldn’t hold on.
Duke struck back on court two, with No. 47 Williams defeating No. 120 Corey Craig 6-3, 6-2, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Williams’s strong play has made him 11-4 overall and a perfect 7-0 in the ACC.
However, Florida State responded on court five. Azariah Rusher squeezed past Long 6-3, 7-6 (3) to put the Seminoles back at 3-1. Long fought hard, but Rusher took the crucial points when it mattered.
Duke rallied again on court three as Planelles Ripoll battled through a marathon, defeating No. 93 Erik Schiessl 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5). This win brought Duke closer, making it 3-2 overall.
Pedro Rodenas tied the match at 3-3 after a nail-biting match against No. 96 Miguel, finishing 7-6 (0), 2-6, 7-6 (4). Despite setbacks in the second set, Rodenas’s determination shone through, allowing him to regroup and secure the tiebreaker.
The match came down to court four, where Alexander Visser faced Alkotop. Visser won 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4). After trailing early in the decider, he fought back to clinch the win and complete Duke’s comeback.
With this victory, Duke moved to 10-11 overall and 5-6 in the ACC.
Duke will take on Miami next at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Recent reports show that college tennis matches like this one have become increasingly popular, attracting more fans and creating a vibrant atmosphere. As teams push through competitive seasons, every match can dramatically shift rankings and team morale.
For updates on the Blue Devils, be sure to follow their social media accounts.
Source link
