ASU Men’s Tennis: No. 32 Sun Devils dominate in three home matches

(Photo: Patricia Vicente/WCSN)

The No.32 Arizona State Sun Devils (12-10 overall, 3-2 Pac-12) secured three dominating wins over No. 42 Oregon (13-5, 1-3 Pac-12), Washington (6-13, 1-3 Pac-12) and Grand Canyon University (15-5, 3-0 Pac-12), surrendering losing only one individual match  over the four dual matches at Whiteman Tennis Center.

After handling two Pac-12 foes and the neighboring Lopes with relative ease over the week, the Sun Devils currently boast a five-match win streak and a perfect 6-0 record when playing at home in Tempe. 

While the Sun Devils overall record may not sparkle, their play in doubles in 2019 definitely has. Several of ASU’s highlight-reel moments this season have come from the doubles matches. The team is has clinched the doubles point in seven consecutive matches and has secured that first point 16 times in 22 matches this season.

“The guys have a high level of trust in themselves and in each other,” head coach Matt Hill said. “Right now, the chemistry in the locker room is going onto the court. It’s trending in the right direction, even though we still have work to be done.”

With a road-heavy season almost over, the Sun Devils said their four-match homestand was crucial to pick up some wins for their overall record and gain confidence heading into postseason play. ASU is 6-0 at home with still one more match in Tempe against Pac-12 opponent, Utah before the last road trip of the season takes place in Southern California against No. 13 UCLA and No. 9 USC.

“It was great being home,” junior Dominik Kellovsky said. “We got to practice, which is good. When you’re away, you can’t really practice as much.”

Sophomore Benjamin Hannestad returned to action in the Sun Devils lineup, after being held out of the past three matches with the same back injury he has been dealing with this season. Hannestad, who was 19-11 overall in dual matches last season, went a combined 5-1 this week (he only finished six matches) with his lone loss coming against GCU in doubles with partner and graduate transfer Justin Roberts. 

“I am progressing slowly,” Hannestad said. “I work hard on the court now and my body allows me to put a lot of hours in now, which I haven’t been able to do in a long time. I am feeling more confident.”

Hannestad played in each of the four matches in doubles, and recorded two singles win over the week with blowout victories against Oregon sophomore Charles Roberts in a 6-0, 6-2 win on Friday and against Delaware sophomore Nathan Benyowitz 6-1, 6-1. 

Hannestad, who was critical to the team’s success and season-high ranking of No. 13 last year, says he’s finally getting fully healthy and Hill knows how much this could help a team that has struggled keeping its best lineup on the court in 2019.

“It’s nice to have healthy bodies,” Hill said. “It’s nice to have guys that are cleared and can train and push the other guys. That can come out here and play matches to work on their game and see progress.”

With everything seeming to slowly coming together for the Sun Devils, they know that the road ahead of them still isn’t easy and that they must continue this level of play against Pac-12 competition. 

“There were some easy wins and there were some tough wins,” Hannestad said. “It’s always a grind when we play in conference play. We have handled adversity well and have just kept fighting.”

Another highlight for the Sun Devils this weekend was junior Nathan Ponwith, who has won four straight singles matches and recorded two match-clinching sets against the Ducks and the Huskies. Ponwith is No. 71 in singles in Division-I tennis and the Scottsdale native said playing in his hometown is truly special experience. 

“It was a great atmosphere tonight,” Ponwith said after ASU’s win over Oregon. “I had some friends and family come out tonight, so it was special to play at home and get the win.”

The success doesn’t just come for him individually, but also for the other half of his doubles duo with the Czech native, Kellovsky. The pair is ranked No. 9 in the ITA/Oracle rankings and is the first top-ten ranked duo in the program since 1991.

“Dominik is really a movie at doubles,” Ponwith said. “He is really aggressive at the net and we have been playing really well together because we compliment each other’s game well. It’s great to get wins and help the team out.”

After ASU and Washington split the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles matches on Sunday, the tandem of Ponwith and Kellovsky defeated Washington’s No. 1 doubles paring, the No. 52 team in the nation, of senior Piers Foley and sophomore Jack Smith 7-6 (8-6) to clinch the pivotal doubles point. 

“They are dangerous players,” Hill said. “They both have a ton of weapons, are great athletes and have a lot of experience at a high level of tennis.”

ASU has faced five top-ten teams this nation and 11 ranked teams this season and Hill believes with such a tough schedule to date, he thinks his team has the mentality and knowledge of the level it will need to play to down the stretch to compete with some of the best teams in the nation.

“We are playing some better tennis and we are doing better mentally,” Hill said.

The Sun Devils will be back at home for their final home match of the season against Utah (16-8, 2-4 Pac-12) On Apr. 13 at the Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe with the first serve scheduled for 1 p.m.

 

Match Results:

 

No. 32 ASU vs. No. 42 Oregon (4-0 win)

Doubles

1. No. 9 Nathan Ponwith/ Dominic Kellovsky (ASU) def. Ty Gentry/ Joshua Charlton (UO) – 6-3^
2. No. 71 Tim Ruehl/ Andrea Bolla (ASU) vs. Riki Oshima/ Charles Roberts (UO) – 4-5 (susp.)
3. Justin Roberts/ Benjamin Hannestad (ASU) def. Armando Soemarno/ Emmanuel Costa (UO) – 6-1

Order of finish: 3, 1^, 2 (susp.)

^ Clinched doubles point

Singles

1. No. 71 Nathan Ponwith (ASU) def. Emmanuel Coste (UO) – 6-3, 7-5
2. Dominik Kellovsky (ASU) vs. Ty Gentry (UO) – 3-6, 6-4, 0-0 (susp.)
3. Justin Roberts (ASU) vs. Riki Oshima (UO) – 7-6, 3-3 (susp.)
4. Andrea Bolla (ASU) vs. Joshua Charlton (UO) – 6-4, 4-5 (susp.)
5. Tim Ruehl (ASU) def. Ethan Young-Smith (UO) – 6-0, 6-3
6. Benjamin Hannestad (ASU) def. Charles Roberts (UO) – 6-0, 6-2

Order of finish: 6, 5, 1*, (2, 3, 4 susp.)

*Clinched victory

 

No. 32 ASU vs. Washington  (4-0 win)

Doubles

1. No. 9 Nathan Ponwith/ Dominic Kellovsky (ASU) def. No. 52 Jack Davis/ Piers Foley (UW) – 7-6 (8-6)
2. No. 71 Tim Ruehl/ Andrea Bolla (ASU) def. Kawika Lam/ Enzo Sommer (UW) – 6-3
3. Ewen Lumsden/ Adam Torocsik (UW) def. Justin Roberts/ Benjamin Hannestad (ASU) – 6-4

Order of finish: 2, 3, 1^

^ Clinched doubles point

Singles

1. No. 71 Nathan Ponwith (ASU) def. Enzo Sommer (UW) – 6-3, 7-5*
2. Dominik Kellovsky (ASU) def. Piers Foley (UW) – 6-4, 6-3
3. Justin Roberts (ASU) vs. Jack Davis (UW) – 6-5, 5-5 (susp.)
4. Andrea Bolla (ASU) vs. Ernesto Turegano (UW) – 6-4, 4-3 (susp.)
5. Tim Ruehl (ASU) def. Ewen Lumsden (UW) – 6-3, 6-2
6. Makey Rakotomalala (ASU) vs. Adam Torocsik (UW) – 5-7, 4-3 (susp.)

Order of finish: 2, 5, 1*, (3, 4, 6 susp.)

*Clinched victory

 

No. 32 ASU vs. Grand Canyon University (4-1 win/loss)

Doubles

1. No. 9 Nathan Ponwith/ Dominic Kellovsky (ASU) def. Lorenzo Fucile/ Mathieu Rajaonah (GCU) – 6-3
2. Tim Ruehl/ Andrea Bolla (ASU) def. Valentin Lang/ Jakub Novak (GCU) – 7-6 (7-2)^
3. Justin Roberts/ Benjamin Hannestad (ASU) vs. Lucas Grego/ Freddie Grant (GCU) – 6-6 (8-9) (susp.)

Order of finish: 1, 2^, 3 (susp.)

^ Clinched doubles point

Singles

1. No. 71 Nathan Ponwith (ASU) def. Lorenzo Fucile (GCU) – 6-0, 7-6 (7-1)
2. Dominik Kellovsky (ASU) def. Mathieu Rajaonah (GCU) – 6-4, 6-4
3. Justin Roberts (ASU) vs. Valentin Lang (GCU) – 6-4, 7-5, 0-0 (susp.)
4. Andrea Bolla (ASU) def. Lucas Grego (GCU) – 6-4, 1-6, 6-0*
5. Makey Rakotomalala (ASU) vs. Freddie Grant (GCU) – 6-4, 6-6 (susp.)
6. Jakub Novak (GCU) def. Thomas Wright (ASU) – 6-4, 7-6

Order of finish: 1, 2,  6, 4*, (3, 5 susp.)

*Clinched victory

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