In a close match that featured four tiebreakers, Auburn lost 4-3 to South Florida in men's tennis Sunday morning indoors at the Duckworth Family Tennis Facility in Clemson, S.C.
In doubles, Auburn's Tom Wright and Maxwell Giddens upset the No. 38-ranked tandem from USF, Chase Ferguson and Pierre Luquet, by winning convincingly by a 6-3 score on court two. Tyler Stice and Jan Galka followed up with a 6-4 victory on court three over Ivan Yatsuk and Manuel Goncalves to clinch the doubles point for the Tigers.
In singles, Galka continued his winning ways, getting on the scoreboard first with a 6-4, 6-1 victory on court three over Luquet, before the USF Bulls captured matches on courts five and one to tie the match at 2-2.
Finn Murgett, Tad Maclean and Giddens all forced third sets of play in singles for the Tigers, but only Giddens was successful, defeating Rithvik Bollipalli by a 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-4 score. USF was successful in the matches on courts four and two to take the team match by a 4-3 count.
The Tigers are now 2-1 on the season; South Florida is also 2-1.
Auburn will return home on Sunday, January 31, for a 1 p.m. match against Georgia Tech. All Auburn home tennis action is at the Yarbrough Tennis Center (1717 Richland Road, Auburn) and fans wearing face coverings are welcome to attend any matches played outdoors.
South Florida 4, Auburn 3
Singles
Chase Ferguson (USF) def. Tyler Stice (AU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
Jakub Wojcik (USF) def. Tad Maclean (AU) 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
Jan Galka (AU) def. Pierre Luquet (USF) 6-4, 6-1
Ivan Yatsuk (USF) def. Finn Murgett (AU) 6-1, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4)
Sergio Gomez Montesa (USF) def. Spencer Gray (AU) 6-4, 7-5
Maxwell Giddens (AU) def. Rithvik Bollipalli (USF) 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 6-4
Doubles
#21 Rithvik Bollipalli/Jakub Wojcik (USF) def. Tad Maclean/Finn Murgett (AU) 6-3
Tom Wright/Maxwell Giddens (AU) def. #38 Chase Ferguson/Pierre Luquet (USF) 6-3
Tyler Stice/Jan Galka (AU) def. Ivan Yatsuk/Manuel Goncalves (USF) 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles: 2,1,3; Singles: 3,5,1,4,2,6; Time of match: 3:12
