St. John's University Athletics
Friday, February 28
Philadelphia, Pa.
2 P.M. ET
St. John's University
at
Penn
St. John’s Ventures to Penn for Friday Afternoon Showcase
2/27/2020 11:25:00 AM | Men's Tennis
The 12-2 Red Storm looks to extend its four-match winning streak with a win over Penn
QUEENS, N.Y. (Feb. 27, 2020) – After capturing its first two wins in BIG EAST play against Xavier and Butler last weekend, the St. John's men's tennis team returns to action this Friday at the Hamlin/Hecht Tennis Center to battle Penn on Friday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m.
The Red Storm enter Friday's bout with a 12-2 overall record, days removed from routing Xavier and Butler, 6-1, last Friday and Sunday, respectively.
Head Coach Dillon Pottish's team has been highly successful in singles play throughout the 2020 campaign, boasting a 50-19 record in its first 14 contests. Udayan Bhakar and Ignacio Garcia's 9 singles wins lead the squad so far and have provided a huge boost behind Aditya Vashistha. The trio has accounted for half of the Red Storm's 50 singles victories this year.
Garcia earned his first-ever BIG EAST accolade on Monday following a perfect 4-0 weekend against conference foes Xavier and Butler. The San Juan, Puerto Rico, native had a dominant weekend on the tennis court in his first two BIG EAST matches of his career. The junior completed the weekend with a perfect 2-0 singles record in the No. 3 slot.
On Friday, Garcia bounced Xavier's Matthew Graft in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. The junior sealed his second singles win of the road trip on Sunday, toppling Butler's Drew Michael in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0. The junior's two singles victories on the No. 4 court slot advance him to 4-0 on the season.
Vashistha, last week's BIG EAST Tennis Athlete of the Week and No. 57 player in the Oracle/ITA Rankings, is coming off another impressive weekend on the court. On Friday, the Bikaner, India, native bounced Xavier's Brett Winters in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. The junior secured his second singles win of the road trip on Sunday, toppling Butler's Thomas Brennan in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. Vashistha's two singles victories in the top slot move him to 7-0 on the season.
The Johnnies have been incomparable in doubles play this spring, seizing victories in 29 of their 35 total bouts. Garcia and Ognjen Trejgut have been unbeaten so far in their seven No. 1 doubles tilts. Vashistha and Bhakar have racked up victories in five of their seven doubles contests on the No. 3 court. Louis-nils Michel and Djuro Opacic have won all five of their doubles matches, four of them taking place on the No. 2 court.
Penn (5-5) heads into Friday's contest having won two of its last three contests, including a 4-0 sweep over Temple on Wednesday. Freshman Aditya Gupta boasts a 14-4 record dating back to the beginning of the fall season.
Penn leads the all-time series 7-4 and defeated the Johnnies, 4-1, in the last meeting between the two programs on Feb. 18, 2017.
After its bout with Penn on Friday, St. John's will take an extended break for three weeks, returning to the court on Sunday, March 22, to face Quinnipiac in Hamden, Conn., at 1 p.m.
The Red Storm enter Friday's bout with a 12-2 overall record, days removed from routing Xavier and Butler, 6-1, last Friday and Sunday, respectively.
Head Coach Dillon Pottish's team has been highly successful in singles play throughout the 2020 campaign, boasting a 50-19 record in its first 14 contests. Udayan Bhakar and Ignacio Garcia's 9 singles wins lead the squad so far and have provided a huge boost behind Aditya Vashistha. The trio has accounted for half of the Red Storm's 50 singles victories this year.
Garcia earned his first-ever BIG EAST accolade on Monday following a perfect 4-0 weekend against conference foes Xavier and Butler. The San Juan, Puerto Rico, native had a dominant weekend on the tennis court in his first two BIG EAST matches of his career. The junior completed the weekend with a perfect 2-0 singles record in the No. 3 slot.
On Friday, Garcia bounced Xavier's Matthew Graft in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. The junior sealed his second singles win of the road trip on Sunday, toppling Butler's Drew Michael in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0. The junior's two singles victories on the No. 4 court slot advance him to 4-0 on the season.
Vashistha, last week's BIG EAST Tennis Athlete of the Week and No. 57 player in the Oracle/ITA Rankings, is coming off another impressive weekend on the court. On Friday, the Bikaner, India, native bounced Xavier's Brett Winters in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. The junior secured his second singles win of the road trip on Sunday, toppling Butler's Thomas Brennan in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. Vashistha's two singles victories in the top slot move him to 7-0 on the season.
The Johnnies have been incomparable in doubles play this spring, seizing victories in 29 of their 35 total bouts. Garcia and Ognjen Trejgut have been unbeaten so far in their seven No. 1 doubles tilts. Vashistha and Bhakar have racked up victories in five of their seven doubles contests on the No. 3 court. Louis-nils Michel and Djuro Opacic have won all five of their doubles matches, four of them taking place on the No. 2 court.
Penn (5-5) heads into Friday's contest having won two of its last three contests, including a 4-0 sweep over Temple on Wednesday. Freshman Aditya Gupta boasts a 14-4 record dating back to the beginning of the fall season.
Penn leads the all-time series 7-4 and defeated the Johnnies, 4-1, in the last meeting between the two programs on Feb. 18, 2017.
After its bout with Penn on Friday, St. John's will take an extended break for three weeks, returning to the court on Sunday, March 22, to face Quinnipiac in Hamden, Conn., at 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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Men's Tennis NCAA Selection Show
Tuesday, April 30