Only a week after a triple-header headlined by a gut-wrenching 3-4 loss to Wisconsin, Notre Dame men’s tennis returned to the court for a home double-header against No. 25 Illinois and Creighton. The Irish dominated a strong Illini team which earned a big 4-1 win against No. 15 Duke a few weeks ago, turning the scoreboard into their own 4-1 victory. Notre Dame followed up with a 5-0 sweep of Creighton, putting their record at an impressive 8-1.
Seniors Noah Becker and Sebastian Dominko put the Irish doubles teams on the board with a 6-2 win over senior William Mroz and his partner Jeremy Zhang. No. 16-ranked sophomore duo Peter Nad and Luis Llorens Saracho secured the doubles point, beating junior Tyler Bowers and freshman Gabriel Debru 6-4.
Graduate student Perry Gregg led the singles charge for the Irish, upsetting No. 12-ranked senior Kenta Miyoshi 6-5, 7-5 in a rollercoaster of a match. Gregg has been a fantastic singles stalwart for the Irish this year. Last week, he defeated Wisconsin’s No. 75-ranked Michael Minasyan, showcasing his dynamic groundstrokes, including a breathtaking down-the-line backhand winner to set up match point. The California native proved the Wisconsin win was not just a one-off and that he has the weapons to take on the best players in the nation.
Notre Dame junior Kyran Magimay coasted through his match, defeating Illinois freshman Hayden Jones 6-1, 6-3. Mroz put Illinois on the board with a 7-5, 6-3 win over sophomore Giuseppe Cerasuolo, but Nad clinched the match for the Irish with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over freshman Adam Jilly. No. 16-ranked Dominko locked horns with Debru, with the match tied at 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, 4-4 before it was abandoned.
The Irish had little time to celebrate the big win before their afternoon matchup with Creighton. Nad and Llorens Saracho picked up right where they left off, blowing past freshman Lucas Mommessin and senior Kirtan Patel 6-1. Becker and freshman Nicholas Patrick followed up with a 6-2 victory over freshman Jack McMahon and sophomore Rocky McKenzie.
Notre Dame was equally dominant in the singles department. Dominko flew past Patel 6-2, 6-1, and freshman Nolan Balthazor doubled the lead with a 6-2, 6-2 win against Mommessin. Notre Dame junior Evan Lee beat McMahon 6-1, 6-3, and Nad closed out a successful weekend with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over freshman Mathis Dahler.
It has been a strong start to the season for the Irish, and the team only seems to be getting better. The doubles lineup is settling in, and players are finding their groove in singles. This upcoming weekend will prove a significant test. Notre Dame is home against Northwestern on Feb. 20, before an away showdown on Feb. 22 against an undefeated Ohio State that looks to be the best team in the nation. Despite the odds, the players have shown that they can compete with anyone, and a dual against the nation’s best team is the perfect preparation for a brutal ACC schedule in March.
