MT 02.05.2020
Sports

Men’s Tennis Serves Opening Double Bagel

The Monmouth University men’s tennis team kicked off the spring season with two victories at the Little Silver Tennis Club. They defeated both La Salle University and Wagner College by a score of 4-0 on Saturday, Feb. 1.

The men’s tennis team was selected number one in a preseason Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) league poll, receiving 49 votes. They were able to start the season off with two impressive sweeps, or bagels as referred to in tennis terms. 

Highlighting the action against La Salle for Monmouth was senior Max Benaim. Benaim earned a singles win in straight sets. The first set against La Salle came against Nassim Fenjiro and Benaim won both sets by scores of 6-1 and 6-4.

Benaim has racked up many honors in his tennis career at Monmouth so far. He was named to the All-MAAC First Team at singles and doubles. He placed No. 3 in singles and No. 2 in doubles.

Senior Sergio Martinez was another standout for the Hawks and is also an All-MAAC first teamer in both singles and doubles. Martinez defeated Brandon Caban of La Salle in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2. Benaim and Martinez also won a doubles match against Caban and Fenjiro of La Salle by a score of 6-2. They have proven to be a strong doubles duo, compiling an impressive record of 18-4 last season.

Additionally, freshman Gabriel Busato won his single match in straight sets 6-2, 6-1. Several Hawks, freshman Arthur Dussaubat, junior Charles Gortzounian, sophomore Austin Klapman, had unfinished matches against La Salle.

Against Wagner, Benaim won the first set 6-0 and had a 4-2 lead in the second set against Hans Ohrner of Wagner but the match was not finished. Martinez added yet another convincing victory in straight sets, defeating Omar Loutfy 6-3, 6-1. Another Hawk, Dussaubat, added a victory in straight sets, winning his match against Siddharth Anand 6-2, 6-2. 

In the match vs Wagner, Busato lost his first set 3-6 but got off to a strong start in the second set, 4-0 before the match ended. Gortzounian and Busato both won their first set before their matches were called. Klapman notched an impressive 6-0, 6-0 victory in his singles match vs Wagner.

The Hawks won all three of their doubles matches against Wagner. Benaim and Martinez notched a shutout victory of 6-0 in their match. Additionally, Dussaubat and sophomore Sasha Pachnev combined to win their doubles match by a score of 6-3.

Busato and junior Will Cooke Wharton teamed up for a victory in their only set by a 6-4 margin. Cooke Wharton has already enjoyed an impressive career as a Hawk, as he was named to the All-MAAC First Team four times.

The Monmouth men’s tennis team has very high expectations after winning the MAAC tennis championship the last four years. They have placed in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament each of those years as well.

After jumping out to a strong start to the spring season, the Hawks will stay in Monmouth County when they face off against Bucknell on Saturday at the Little Silver Tennis Club at 4:00 p.m. 

PHOTO COURTESY of Monmouth Athletics