March 28, 2014
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 41st-ranked Purdue men's tennis team (10-3, 2-1 Big Ten) returned to its home courts at the Schwartz Tennis Center Friday, defeating No. 50 Minnesota (8-8, 2-2 Big Ten), 6-1, in Big Ten action. The Boilermakers remain undefeated on their Basham Courts at 7-0 and improve to 5-3 against ranked opponents this season.
With the win, Purdue snaps the Gophers' six-match win streak in the series and notches its ninth all-time win over Minnesota. Minnesota had previously won the last six meetings with the Boilermakers dating back to Purdue's 4-1 win in the 2007 Big Ten Tournament.
"Today we showed how much we have matured and how we can be decisive to get the big points," head men's tennis coach Pawel Gajdzik said. "Our conditioning is superb. We are executing at the right moments and are getting those big points."
For the ninth time this season Purdue jumped out early earing the doubles points against their opponents, however this one was a battle to the finish. The Gophers tandem of Jack Hamburg and Mathieu Froment defeated Aaron Dujovne and Diego Acosta 8-5 in the No. 1 spot.
Szymon Tatarczyk and Ricky Medinilla continued their winning ways by recording their fifth victory in the No. 2 spot, an 8-3 decision over Minnesota's Leandro Toledo and Eric Frueh, 8-3. The 5-0 Boilermaker duo hasn't dropped a match since Feb. 9.
Coming down to the last match, Mateus Silva and Mark Kovacs clinched the doubles point for the Boilermakers a back and forth battle against Gophers Juan Pablo Ramirez and Franz Sydow, 8-7. The duo improved their record to 4-3 in the No. 3 spot.
Kovacs, who hails from Budapest, Hungary, clinched the win for Purdue by defeating Jack Hamburg, 6-3, 6-4, in the No.2 spot taking him to a 9-3 record, in his final campaign. Silva continued his winning streak, picking up No. 9, in his 6-2, 7-5 decision over the Gophers' Frueh. He leads the team in singles play with a record of 10-1 this season.
In the No. 5 spot, Acosta only gave up one game to Minnesota's Ramirez beating him, 6-0, 6-1, to extend his record to 8-3. Freshman Ricky Medinilla fought hard against Ruben Weber at No. 2 and overpowered the Gopher, 6-2, 6-4. Rallying in as the last match in the No. 4 spot, Dujvone defeated Mathieu Froment, 7-5, 6-1, to bring the senior to a record of 8-1 and 3-0 in Big Ten play this year.
The Boilermakers will be back on the Basham Courts of the Schwartz Tennis Center Sunday for a matchup against No. 62 Wisconsin at 12 p.m. ET.
No. 41 Purdue 6, No. 50 Minnesota 1 | Box Score
Doubles
1: Jack Hamburg/Mathieu Froment (Minnesota) def. Aaron Dujovne/Diego Acosta (Purdue), 8-5
2: Szymon Tatarczyk/Ricky Medinilla (Purdue) def. Leandro Toledo/Eric Frueh (Minnesota), 8-3
3: Mateus Silva/Mark Kovacs (Purdue) def. Juan Pablo Ramirez/Franz Sydow (Minnesota), 8-7
Singles
1: No. 66 Leandro Toledo (Minnesota) def. Szymon Tatarczyk (Purdue), 6-4, 3-6, 10-8
2: Ricky Medinilla (Purdue) def. Ruben Weber (Minnesota), 6-2, 6-4
3: Mark Kovacs (Purdue) def. Jack Hamburg (Minnesota), 6-3, 6-4
4: Aaron Dujovne (Purdue) def. Mathieu Froment (Minnesota), 7-5, 6-1
5: Diego Acosta (Purdue) def. Juan Pablo Ramirez (Minnesota), 6-1, 6-0
6: Mateus Silva (Purdue) def. Eric Frueh (Minnesota), 6-2, 7-5