BOCA RATON, Fla. – After losing the doubles point and two singles match-ups, the Clemson Tigers (4-0) secured a massive 4-3 comeback victory over Florida Atlantic (0-2) on Saturday afternoon in the Kimberly V. Strauss Tennis Center to secure their second road win of the season.
It all came down to the final match on court six as senior Max Smith sealed the win for the Tigers.
“I’m glad to see our guys handle some tough adversity on the road today with poise and determination,” Head Coach Brandon Wagner said. “Not the best performances for a few of our guys today but their teammates had their backs and came through in some big moments for the team. There is a lot to learn from today and I know the guys will be looking forward to the next test of playing a ranked team at home this upcoming weekend.”
In doubles, the dynamic duo of Noa Vukadin and Smith secured a 6-2 victory over FAU’s John Bernard and Mark Havlicek but it was not enough to give Clemson the advantage as the Owls took court two and court three to secure the doubles point and take the 1-0 lead.
The Tigers picked up the momentum in singles as Romain Gales and Marko Mesarovic both secured two set victories on their respective courts. Sophomore Wissam Abderrahman recorded a comeback win on court three as he dropped the first set 4-6 to FAU’s Segundo Goity but took the final two sets, 6-1, 6-4 to take the win.
FAU found victories on court one and two as the match was all tied-up 3-3 with court six remaining. Smith, who has performed well in singles so far this season and in the fall, battled in the first set against FAU’s Marek Pazdera as Smith was able to sneak the 7(8)-6(6) victory in set one. Smith dropped the second set 3-6 but was able to help the Tigers bring home the win as he defeated Pandora 6-4 in the third and final set.
The Tigers officially upped their win streak to four as they celebrate another victory on the road.
Up next, the Tigers are back at home as they host No. 17 Michigan State on Sunday, February 2 at 12:00 p.m. ET at the Duckworth Family Tennis Facility. For complete coverage of the Clemson men’s tennis team, follow @ClemsonMTennis on Twitter and Instagram.
RESULTS:
Doubles:
Singles:
