FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 25 Auburn dropped a tight 4-3 match to No. 49 Arkansas on Sunday at the Billingsley Tennis Center in Fayetteville. After dropping the doubles point, Auburn claimed three singles wins to take a 3-1 lead, but ultimately lost to the Razorbacks.
In doubles, Arkansas claimed court one 6-4. With Tyler Stice and Will Nolan leading their match 5-3 on court three, Arkansas' Connor Smillie and Jake Sweeney overcame an early 2-0 deficit to defeat Billy Blaydes and Alejandro Moreno and claim the doubles point.
Auburn came out strong in singles, winning the opening set on five courts. Stice and Moreno each bounced back from early deficits to win the opening set in their respective matches.
Billy Blaydes began his second set down 4-1, but ultimately won his ninth consecutive singles match on court four to tie the match for the Tigers, defeating Stefanos Savva 6-2, 6-4. Finn Murgett defeated Gerard Planelles 6-3, 6-4 to chalk up another straight set victory for the Tigers and push the lead to 2-1.
Tyler Stice and Bozo Barun's second set went into a tiebreaker that Stice dominated 7-0. The fifth-year senior's ninth dual match win of the season gave Auburn a 3-1 lead, needing just one of the three remaining singles matches to go its way to secure a team victory.
With all three matches in a third set, Benedikt Emesz came back from losing the first set and trailing the second set 5-2 to win the match 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-0. Arkansas picked up another win on court three to tie the match at three and make the match on court six between Will Nolan and Karlo Kajin the decider.
Nolan fought back from a 5-2 deficit in the third set to force a tiebreaker with Kajin, but ultimately lost the tiebreaker 7-4 to give Arkansas the slim 4-3 victory.
Up next, Auburn will host rival Alabama at the Yarbrough Tennis Center where fans will receive a free "All Auburn, All Orange" T-shirt while supplies last. Live video and live scoring of the match that is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. will be available online at AuburnTigers.com and the AuburnTigers app.
#49 Arkansas 4, #25 Auburn 3
Singles Results:
1. #43 Tyler Stice (AUB) def. Bozo Barun (ARK) 6-3, 7-6 (7-0)
2. #91 Finn Murgett (AUB) def. Gerard Planelles (ARK) 6-3, 6-4
3. Melvin Manuel (ARK) def. Alejandro Moreno (AUB) 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-4
4. Billy Blaydes (AUB) def. Stefanos Savva (ARK) 6-2, 6-4
5. Benedikt Emesz (ARK) def. Nicholas Heng (AUB) 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-0
6. Karlo Kajin (ARK) def. Will Nolan (AUB) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
Doubles Results:
1. #29 Bozo Barun/Jared Horwood (ARK) def. #26 Raul Dobai/Finn Murgett (AUB) 6-4
2. Connor Smillie/Jake Sweeney (ARK) def. Billy Blaydes/Alejandro Moreno (AUB) 7-5
3. Melvin Manuel/Alan Sau Franco (ARK) vs. Will Nolan/Tyler Stice (AUB) 3-5, unfinished
Order of finish: Doubles: 1,2; Singles: 4,2,1,5,3,6