(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
Tempe—Following their victory over the Liberty Flames, the Sun Devils looked to build on their momentum and take on the No. 28-ranked Boise State Broncos, a formidable foe.
The match started Friday night, following the Sun Devils’ victory. The doubles teams played on Friday night, and the singles teams played on Saturday morning.
Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, they were only able to win one of the doubles matches and lost at first and second doubles. These were considered to be expected results as the No. 28 ranked Broncos have a collection of some of the best doubles teams in the country.
Although that was not the result the Sun Devils wanted in doubles, they went home, got their rest, and came back Saturday morning with a vengeance.
With that result, the Sun Devils needed to pick up four match wins, and they did stylishly. For the style, they turned to Mathis Bondaz, who won his match at second singles with a (6-2) (6-3) final. With a never-say-die attitude and shots that seemed almost machine-like, Bondaz was able to pick up the victory.
Tanner Povey also won his match convincingly with a (6-1, 6-0) final. Povey’s one-handed roller backhand was a staple in his arsenal for the match. Povey, the former five-star recruit in the class of 2023, continues to impress and should be a big-match player for the Devils for years to come.
Nicola Cigna, the Italy native, won his match with a final of (6-4, 6-3). Cigna has quickly become a staple for the Sun Devils in the maturity department, keeping a great composure throughout the match, making it feel as if Cigna was the dictator of the play.
All the Sun Devils needed was one more singles match win, and to decide the match, they turned to the first court and Bor Artnak. Artnak wound up winning his match (7-6, 6-3). Artnak displayed poise throughout the match and mastered his opponent after the first set, realizing he had a clear weakness on his backhand side and with his serve.
This gave the Sun Devils a stunning win and confidence for the rest of the season. ASU Head Coach Matt Hill was impressed with his team’s play but knew he had a “daunting” task ahead of him.
Following their victory over the Broncos, the Sun Devils will focus on their old rivals, the No. 7-ranked University of Arizona Wildcats. This will be the championship match at the Diablos Invitational.
The Wildcats will be without their top player, Colton Smith. Smith, an ITA All-American, is on the ATP tour at Indian Wells. ASU will still have their hands full with the task of playing the Wildcats, as they are a team with plenty of depth.
The match with the Wildcats and Sun Devils will start at 3:45 p.m. at the Kiwanis Tennis Center in Tempe. Weather may prove to be a major factor in the match as winds are expected to be rampant before and throughout the match.
