Baylor Bears Fall Short in Rematch Against Wake Forest
In a thrilling rematch, the No. 6 Baylor men's tennis team couldn't replicate their previous success against No.
4 Wake Forest, falling 4-2 on the road in Winston-Salem. Despite strong performances in singles, the Bears couldn't overcome the Demon Deacons' early lead.
Match Breakdown
Wake Forest jumped out to an early advantage by taking the doubles point. Baylor's pair of Alexandru Chirita and Zsombor Velcz delivered a solid 6-3 win at the No. 2 spot, but Wake Forest's formidable duo, ranked No. 2 nationally, clinched the point with victories on Courts One and Three.
In singles action, Baylor's No. 13 Devin Badenhorst was a standout, securing a decisive 6-1, 6-4 win over No.
17 DK Suresh at the top position. This marked Badenhorst's second win over the top-ranked Deacon, leveling the match after Wake Forest initially extended their lead with a win on Court Five.
Connor Van Schalkwyk, ranked No. 27, kept Baylor in contention with a 6-3, 6-4 victory against No. 65 Aryan Shah on Court Three, tying the match at 2-2.
However, Wake Forest responded with a win on Court Two, regaining control before clinching the match at the No. 4 spot. Luca Pow, ranked No. 21, rallied past No.
73 Chirita, sealing the 4-2 victory with a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-2 comeback.
The match on Court Six between Joaquin Guilleme and Louis Bowden remained unfinished, leaving some intrigue for future encounters.
Looking Ahead
Baylor will continue their road trip, facing the Illinois Fighting Illini in Urbana-Champaign on Friday, February 27th, at 6 p.m. CT. The Bears will look to bounce back and build on the positives from this challenging matchup.
Match Results
Doubles
- Delgado/Suresh (WF) def.
Koenig/Van Schalkwyk (BU), 6-4
- Chirita/Velcz (BU) def.
Rottgering/Shah (WF), 6-3
- Pow/Robertson (WF) def.
Badenhorst/Bowden (BU), 6-2
Singles
- Devin Badenhorst (BU) def.
DK Suresh (WF), 6-1, 6-4
- Mees Rottgering (WF) def.
Zsombor Velcz (BU), 6-2, 6-2
- Connor Van Schalkwyk (BU) def.
Aryan Shah (WF), 6-3, 6-4
- Luca Pow (WF) def.
Alexandru Chirita (BU), 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-2
- Charlie Robertson (WF) def.
Luc Koenig (BU), 6-3, 6-1
- Joaquin Guilleme (WF) vs.
Louis Bowden (BU), 6-3, 3-6, 5-1, unfinished
The Bears showed resilience and skill, but Wake Forest's depth proved too much this time around. As they prepare for their next challenge, Baylor aims to refine their strategy and capitalize on their strengths.