Columbia Men, Women Sweep Ivy League Openers

April 4, 2016 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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Both the Columbia men’s and women’s tennis teams opened up Ivy League play over the weekend in grand fashion as both teams notched wins over Dartmouth and Harvard.

On Saturday afternoon, the men took on 40th-ranked Dartmouth in its first Ivy League contest of the season. Dartmouth jumped out to the early 1-0 by taking the doubles point, but Columbia’s singles play did the job in this one.

The Lions got wins in four singles matches, led by Shawn Hadavi, who beat Dovydas Sakinis 6-2, 6-2 at first singles.

Columbia followed that victory up with a 4-3 triumph over Harvard. Once again, the Lions dropped the doubles point, but Columbia’s singles play came up big again. Even after Nicky Hu of Harvard defeated Hadavi 6-2, 6-1, Columbia would get wins at second, third and fourth singles to help lead the way.

The deciding match came from second singles, as Victor Pham came back from a set down to beat Sebastian Beltrame 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(8) to clinch the victory.

The women took on Dartmouth on Friday afternoon, and cruised to a 6-1 victory.

The Lions would win four singles matches, led by Kanika Vaidya, who outlasted Taylor Ng 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-2 at first singles. Alexandra Solovyev came back from a set down to beat Jacqueline Crawford 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to help anchor the Lions victory.

Columbia would return to the courts on Saturday afternoon and got a stronger test from Harvard, but were still able to pull out a 4-3 victory.

Columbia and Harvard would trade wins through the first six flights, and with the match squared up at 3-3, it would come down to second singles. The Lions’ Rima Asatrian fought back from a set down to beat Nikki Kallenberg 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 to clinch the win for Columbia.


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Centercourt
USTA NTC

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