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Markov’s Victory Against No. 1 ITA Player Propels Clemson Over SMU, 4-2

Markov’s Victory Against No. 1 ITA Player Propels Clemson Over SMU, 4-2Markov’s Victory Against No. 1 ITA Player Propels Clemson Over SMU, 4-2

CLEMSON, S.C. – No. 54 Viktor Markov engineered a four-game comeback in the final set to upset the No. 1 singles player in the country to clinch a 4-2 victory for No. 34 Clemson (13-11, 7-5 ACC) over No. 31 SMU (17-10, 7-5 ACC) Saturday afternoon at the Duckworth Family Tennis Facility.

Clemson earned the doubles point in dominant fashion. First, Henrik Bladelius and Marko Mesarovic defeated Trevor Svajda and Jerry Barton, 6-2. Shortly after, the pair of Markov and Noa Vukadin earned a 6-2 victory over Krish Arora and Alex Finkelstein to wrap up doubles in just 30 minutes.

Bladelius grabbed the first point in singles play, earning a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Arora to put the Tigers up 2-0. The Mustangs got one back on court six as McDonald defeated Nathan Pitts, 6-4, 6-3. SMU drew even with a two-set victory finished with a competitive tiebreak where McDonald outlasted Mesarovic, 6-4, 7-6(6). Noah Lopez Cherubino dropped his first set on a tiebreak but came back and dominated the second set and rode that momentum through the third for a 6(3)-7, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Barton.

On court one, Markov stood eye to eye with Trevor Svajda, the top-ranked singles player in the country. The first set saw Markov go down 4-0 before eventually falling 6-2. The second set was a back-and-forth affair when Markov earned his first break of the match to go up 5-3. Markov then won the next game, taking it to a third set. The final frame saw Svajda take a commanding lead and get the ball to serve up 5-1. Markov responded with a five-game run of his own before dropping the twelfth game to go to a tiebreak. Svajda won the first point but it was all Markov from there. The No. 54 ranked singles player in the country rattled off seven straight points to take down No. 1 and clinch a 4-2 victory for the Tigers.

DOUBLES (FINISHED 2, 1*)

  1. No. 25 Vukadin / Markov (CU) defeated Arora / Finkelstein (SMU), 6-3.
  2. Bladelius / Mesarovic (CU) defeated Svajda / Barton (SMU), 6-2.
  3. Lopez Cherubino / Nittmann (CU) led Deo / Georgiev (SMU) 5-3, ABD.

SINGLES (FINISHED 4, 6, 3, 5, 1*)

  1. No. 54 Markov (CU) defeated No. 1 Svajda (SMU), 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(1).
  2. Vukadin (CU) was tied with Georgiev (SMU), 6-2, 6(6)-7, 1-1, ABD.
  3. Finkelstein (SMU) defeated Mesarovic (CU), 6-4, 7-6(6).
  4. Bladelius (CU) defeated Arora (SMU), 6-2, 6-4.
  5. Lopez Cherubino (CU) defeated Barton (SMU), 6(3)-7, 6-1, 6-4.
  6. McDonald (SMU) defeated Pitts (CU), 6-4, 6-3.

UP NEXT

Clemson stays home for a Monday doubleheader, hosting a pair of Big South opponents. The Tigers start the day at noon against Gardner-Webb and take on Presbyterian at 5 p.m.

For complete coverage of the Clemson men’s tennis program, follow @ClemsonMTennis on X, Instagram and Facebook.