The No. 13 Arizona men’s tennis faced the University of Miami at LaNelle Robson Tennis Center in Tucson, Ariz., where the Wildcats won their first match against the Hurricanes to open ITA Kickoff Weekend, 4-0, on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 1 p.m.

Doubles proved to be a closely contested battle, with momentum swinging back and forth. Herman Hoeyeraal and Gustaf Strom secured a crucial victory on court two, defeating Adrien Burdet and Martin Katz 6-3. Miami responded with a win on court three, as Sam Baumgartner and Nacho Serra Sanchez overcame Nick Lagaev and Sasha Rozin 6-4.

The pivotal moment came on the last court, where the duo of Colton Smith and Jay Friend staged an impressive comeback, winning 7-6 (5) against Vladislav Melnic and Antonio Prat, clinching the doubles point for the Wildcats.

Arizona carried the momentum into the singles matches, claiming victory on three consecutive courts. Friend continued to display his skill on court two, defeating Katz with a score of 6-3, 6-1.

On court five, Hoeyeraal battled through a three-set match, securing a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Rahman. The match was ultimately sealed by Smith, who secured a win against Melnic on the top court with a scoreline of 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2.

As play was halted, Miami’s Antonio Prat showed promise with a 7-6 (5), 1-6, 1-0 lead over Strom. Lagaev held a 6-2, 4-6, 4-3 advantage over Burdet, while Serra Sanchez was in control with a 7-6 (3), 4-6, 1-0 lead against Christensen.

The Wildcats’ impressive performance set a formidable tone for the ITA Kickoff Weekend, continuing to demonstrate this team’s impressive talent and ability to execute as they now move to 3-0 on the season and host No. 24 Baylor University on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 1 p.m.

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