Clemson Defeats Wake Forest 4-3

April 13, 2012

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Zachary Rigsby defeated the Deacons’ Alex Tsai at number- six singles 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 in clinching the match and leading Clemson to a 4-3 win over Wake Forest in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s tennis match in Winston-Salem, NC Friday afternoon.

Clemson improves to 9-12 overall and 5-5 in the ACC. Wake Forest falls to 11-14 overall and 2-8 in league play. It was the first time that the Tigers have defeated Wake Forest since the 2007 season. In was also the first time that Clemson has defeated the Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem since 1997.

Clemson rallied to take the doubles point and an early 1-0 lead. Wake Forest’s Danny Kreyman and Adam Lee took an 8-4 victory over Gerardo Meza and Ayrton Wibowo at No. 2 doubles to give Wake Forest an early advantage.

Clemson’s top pairing of No. 60 Yannick Maden and Zachary Rigsby took down No. 48 David Hopkins and Amogh Prabhakar at the number-one position to even the doubles ledger at one apiece, and the Tigers’ third tandem of Dominique Maden and Wes Moran rallied from a 6-1deficit, winning eight of the last nine games of the match against Conner Sherwood and Alex Tsai to take a 9-7 victory that clinched the opening point.

Wake Forest’s Prabhakar won over Wibowo 6-0, 6-2 at number-three singles. Hunter Harrington soon restored the Tigers’ lead at number-five, topping Sam Wells 6-3, 6-3, and No. 75 Yannick Maden pushed the Clemson lead to 3-1 with a 7-6 (1), 6-1 victory over Kreyman number-one singles.

At number four singles, Wake Forest’s Lee edged Dominique Maden 7-5, 6-4 to pull Wake Forest back to within a point at 3-2.

Two matches remained on the court, both in third sets. Court six proved to be the decisive position as Clemson’s Rigsby outlasted Tsai 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 to seal victory for the Tigers. Hopkins claimed the final point of the match for Wake Forest, defeating Meza 7-6 (3), 2-6, 7-5 in a three-hour marathon at No. 2.

Clemson will play its final ACC match of the year against N.C. State in Raleigh, NC on Sunday at noon.

#71 Clemson 4, Wake Forest 3

Singles 1. Yannick Maden (CU) def. Danny Kreyman (WF) 7-6 (7-1), 6-1 2. David Hopkins (WF) def. Gerardo Meza (CU) 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 7-5 3. Amogh Prabhakar (WF) def. Ayrton Wibowo (CU) 6-2, 6-0 4. Adam Lee (WF) def. Dominique Maden (CU) 7-5, 6-4 5. Hunter Harrington (CU) def. Sam Wells (WF) 6-3, 6-3 6. Zachary Rigsby (CU) def. Alex Tsai (WF) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1

Doubles 1. #48 Yannick Maden/Zachary Rigsby (CU) def. #60 David Hopkins/Amogh Prabhakar (WF) 8-5 2. Danny Kreyman/Adam Lee (WF) def. Gerardo Meza/Ayrton Wibowo (CU) 8-4 3. Dominique Maden/Wes Moran (CU) def. Conner Sherwood/Alex Tsai (WF) 9-7

Match Notes: Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3*); Singles (3,5,1,4,6*,2) Clemson 9-12 (5-5 ACC); National ranking #71 Wake Forest 11-14 (2-8 ACC)