Clemson Hands Wisconsin First Loss of Season

MADISON, WI – Clemson defeated Wisconsin 5-2 in a men’s intercollegiate tennis match at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, WI Sunday afternoon. With the win, Clemson is now 6-1 on the year, while Wisconsin falls to 5-1 this season. The Tigers are ranked 57th nationally according to the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll. At number-one singles, #75 Yannick Maden improved to a team-leading 11-4 record overall in singles this season, as he defeated Billy Bertha of Wisconsin 6-0, 4-6, 6-2. Clemson’s Hunter Harrington improved to 8-4 overall this season as he defeated the Badgers’ Oskar Wikberg 6-1, 7-6 at number-two singles. The Tigers won two more singles points as Clemson’s Zachary Rigsby won at number-five singles with a victory over Jakhongir Jalalov 6-4, 6-4. Clemson freshman Austin Ansari defeated the Badgers’ Alexander Kokorez 6-2, 6-0 at number-six singles. Ansari is 7-3 in singles play, and Rigsby is now 4-1 this year. The Tigers won the doubles point as Ansari and Ayrton Wibowo won at number-two doubles and Harrington and Gerardo Meza won at number-three doubles.

“The doubles point was key today and I am proud of the way we competed on all three courts,” said Clemson Head Coach Chuck McCuen. “Wisconsin is a solid doubles team every year and we learned that the hard way last year. With the momentum in our favor Austin put us ahead 2-0 with one of his best performances of the year. I have never seen him that focused and his win gave the rest of team confidence. Wisconsin is a tough team, and we feel fortunate to get this win on the road.”

Clemson will play host to Alabama on Friday at 2:30 p.m. and Louisville on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in the Tigers’ next action. The matches will be held at the Hoke Sloan Tennis Center. Today was the ninth meeting between the two schools in men’s tennis. Clemson leads the overall series 8-1.Match Results Clemson vs. Wisconsin Feb. 10, 2013 at Madison, WI (Nielsen Tennis Stadium)

#57 Clemson 5, Wisconsin 2Singles: 1. Yannick Maden (CU) d. Billy Bertha (W) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 2. Hunter Harrington (CU) d. Oskar Wikberg (W) 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) 3. Petr Satral (W) d. Gerardo Meza (CU) 7-6 (10-8), 7-5 4. Alexander Kostanov (W) d. Ayrton Wibowo (CU) 6-3, 6-7 (6-4), 6-0 5. Zachary Rigsby (CU) d. Jakhongir Jalalov (W) 6-4, 6-4 6. Austin Ansari (CU) d. Alexander Kokorev (W) 6-2, 6-0Doubles: 1. Billy Bertha/Oskar Wikberg (W) d. Yannick Maden/Zachary Rigsby (CU) 8-6 2. Austin Ansari/Ayrton Wibowo (CU) d. Petr Satral/Alexander Kostanov (W) 8-7 (8-6) 3. Hunter Harrington/Gerardo Meza (CU) d. Jakhongir Jalalov/Alexander Kokorev (W) 8-2