Iowa City, Iowa — The 38th-ranked University of Iowa men’s tennis team was edged by No. 48 Minnesota on Sunday at the Hawkeye Tennis & Recreation Complex.
Iowa (4-5, 4-3) fell just short of winning the doubles point. The first match was decided by the tandem of Peter Alam/Joe Tyler, who cruised to a 6-1 win. Kareem Allaf/Nikita Snezhko lost by that same score on court two. The double point came down to a hard-fought battle on court one. The 17th-ranked duo of Will Davies/Oliver Okonkwo lost in a tiebreaker 7-6(6), marking their first setback of the season.
The Hawkeyes won two of the first three singles matches to even the score at 2-2. Allaf, ranked No. 39 nationally, posted a straight set win on court one (6-3, 6-0). Davies bounced his opponent at No. 4 in three sets (6-2, 7-6).
Iowa returns to action on Friday, hosting Michigan at the Hawkeye Tennis & Recreation Complex.
Tyler recorded Iowa’s other singles win, putting away his opponent on court three in three sets (1-6, 7-6, 6-3). Okonkwo, Snezhko, and Jason Kerst lost their matches respective matches on courts two, six, and five, respectively.
“This was a tough one for us,” said Mellecker Family Head Men’s Tennis Coach Ross Wilson. “It just goes to show how important the doubles point is. Every time we win the doubles point this year, we win the match, and that has been our theme the last few years. We had some opportunities today but didn’t get it done.
“We have some things that we can cleanup with discipline and practice, and hopefully the next time we see Minnesota next month, we can get the doubles point or an extra singles match.”
#48 Minnesota 4, #38 Iowa 3
March 14, 2021 | Noon | Iowa City, Iowa | HTRC
Singles competition
1. #39 Kareem Allaf (UI) def. Jackson Allen (MINN): 6-3, 6-0
2. Vlad Lobak (MINN) def. Oliver Okonkwo (UI): 6-4, 6-2
3. Joe Tyler (UI) def. Dylan Heap (MINN) 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
4. Will Davies (UI) def. Simm Troost (MINN): 6-2, 7-6(4)
5. Sebastian Vile (MINN) def. Jason Kerst (UI): 6-2, 7-6(5)
6. Daniel Martin (MINN) def. Nikita Snezhko (UI): 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Lobak/Troost (MINN) def. #17 Okonkwo/Davies (UI): 7-6(6)
2. Allen/Vile (MINN) def. Snezhko/Allaf (UI): 6-1
3. Tyler/Alam (UI) def. Dobbs/Martin (MINN): 6-1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,2,4,5,6,3)