The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Middle Tenn St
Rebel Men's Tennis Team Defeats Middle Tennessee, 5-2
2/19/2000 | Men's Tennis
Feb. 19, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - The fifth-ranked Ole Miss men's tennis team had to hold off a gritty Middle Tennessee team, ranked 47th nationally, to pick up the hard fought 5-2 win at the Women's Sports Complex Sunday afternoon.
After taking two of the three doubles matches to seal the doubles point, Ole Miss (3-0) dropped the first two singles matches, before fighting back to take the four remaining matches to defeat the Blue Raiders (6-3).
"This was a very competitive match," said Ole Miss head coach Billy Chadwick. "This was the type of match we needed to prepare us for the national indoor tournament. We were pushed to the limit by a very good Middle Tennessee team today."
Stepping up to clinch the victory for the Rebels was freshman Patrick Chucri, playing at No. 6 singles, who defeated Mark Pellerin, 6-2, 6-3.
"I was very pleased with the play of freshman Patrick Chucri today," said Chadwick. "He stepped up when we needed him and clinched the victory for us, but overall I thought it was a good effort for our whole team."
The day started off well for the Rebels in doubles play. At No. 1 doubles, James Shortall and Vikrant Chadha defeated Olle Nystrom and Oliver Foreman, 8-4. Martin Selin and Kristofer Stahlberg then defeated Daniel Klemetz and Robert Gustafsson, 8-6 at No. 2 singles before Middle Tennessee's Michael Chamberlain and Mark Pellerin took the No. 3 doubles match from Alexander Hartman and Anders Stenman, 8-6.
After securing the doubles point, however, Ole Miss hit a road block at No. 1 and No. 2 singles. James Shortall, playing at No. 1 singles, came up short in a marathon three-set match to Oliver Foreman, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Vikrant Chadha, playing at No. 2 singles then fell, 6-3, 6-4 to the Blue Raiders' Daniel Klemetz, but the Rebels rallied back.
At No. 3 singles Kristofer Stahlberg defeated Robert Gustafsson, 6-2, 6-4 before Martin Selin soundly defeated Olle Nystrom of Middle Tennessee, 6-3, 6-1 to put the Rebels up 3-2, so it all came down to the last two matches.
Playing at No. 6 singles, Chucri picked apart Pellerin to clinch the victory before Anders Stenman, playing at No. 5 singles, finally defeated Michael Chamberlain, 6-7, 7-6, 1-0 (10-5).
Next up for the Rebels is the ITA/USTA National Team Indoor Championships in Louisville, Ky., February 24-27.
SINGLES
#1 Oliver Foreman (MT) def. James Shortall (OM) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
#2 Daniel Klemetz (MT) def. Vikrant Chadha (OM) 6-3, 6-4
#3 Kristofer Stahlberg (OM) def. Robert Gustafsson (MT) 6-2, 6-4
#4 Martin Selin (OM) def. Olle Nystrom (MT) 6-3, 6-1
#5 Anders Stenman (OM) def. Michael Chamberlain (MT) 6-7, 7-6, 1-0 (10-5)
#6 Patrick Chucri (OM) def. Mark Pellerin (MT) 6-2, 6-3
DOUBLES
#1 Shortall/Chadha (OM) def. Nystrom/Foreman (MT) 8-4
#2 Selin/Stahlberg (OM) def. Klemetz/Gustafsson (MT) 8-6
#3 Chamberlain/Pellerin (MT) def. Hartman/Stenman (OM) 8-6
