No. 35 Clemson Falls to No. 50 Princeton 4-0 Saturday

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After posting a first round win yesterday, the 35th-ranked Clemson men’s tennis team fell 4-0 to No. 50 Princeton Saturday afternoon in the semifinals of the Blue Gray Classic. Clemson falls to 6-5 on the season with the loss and 1-1 in the tournament.

Clemson proved resilient during the doubles portion, hanging tough until ultimately surrendering the doubles point to Princeton. Hampton Drake and Christian Harris led before their match was called at No. 2 doubles. Hunter Harrington and Luke Johnson, playing together for only the second time this season, fell at No. 1 doubles, as did Austin Ansari and Alejandro Augusto at No. 3 doubles, only their second time together this season as well. 

In singles, Augusto battled back to win the first set at No. 2 after facing an early deficit. Ansari stormed back after losing the first set at No. 4 singles to win the second set 6-1. Augusto and Ansari’s matches ultimately went unfinished. Harrington, ranked 90th nationally, faced another ranked opponent at No. 1 singles, falling to Princeton’s 117th-ranked Zack McCourt 6-3, 6-4.

Clemson will face the losing team in the match between No. 1 seeded and 24th-ranked South Florida and 38th-ranked Texas Tech in the third-place match on Sunday. The time for the contest has yet to be determined.

No. 50 Princeton 4, No. 35 Clemson 0

DOUBLES

1. Zack McCourt/Thomas Colautti (PU) def. Hunter Harrington/Luke Johnson (CU) 6-4
2. Hampton Drake/Christian Harris (CU) led Alexander Day/Luke Gamble (PU) 4-3, DNF
3. Diego Vives/Joshua Yablon (PU) def. Austin Ansari/Alejandro Augusto (CU) 6-2

Order of finish: 3, 1

SINGLES

1. No. 117 Zack McCourt (PU) def. No. 90 Hunter Harrington (CU) 6-3, 6-4
2. Alejandro Augusto (CU) led Thomas Colautti (PU) 7-6, 1-1, DNF
3. Joshua Yablon (PU) def. Hampton Drake (CU) 6-4, 7-5
4. Alexander Day (PU) led Austin Ansari (CU) 6-3, 1-6, 5-1, DNF
5. Kial Kaiser (PU) led Daffra Sanon (CU) 6-2, 6-5, DNF
6. Luke Gamble (PU) def. Luke Johnson (CU) 6-4, 6-2

Order of finish: 1, 6, 3