The University of Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, March 16
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
1 PM
Ole Miss
4
at
3
Alabama
Senior Duo Delights as Rebels Beat ‘Bama Saturday
3/16/2019 | Men's Tennis
Veterans Fabian Fallert and Filip Kraljevic provide the set-up and clinch for a 4-3 win
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- With a potential upset mounting, Ole Miss Men's Tennis relied on experience from seniors Fabian Fallert and Filip Kraljevic to stage the ultimate comeback, defeating No. 18 Alabama 4-3 Saturday at the Alabama Tennis Center for their third Top 20 win of the season.
The win is also the second victory for the Rebels this season, as the squad took down the then-No. 16 Crimson Tide in a nonconference clash in late February. Ole Miss moves to 10-8 (2-4 SEC) on the spring season.
Down 2-3 and on the brink of defeat, the veteran duo were each presented with a scenario to battle through. Fallert, after being down 0-3 in his opening set, eventually dropped it 3-6 but responded in dominating fashion, taking eight consecutive games to sweep his second set and take a 2-0 lead into the third.
Kraljevic was in the opposite position, winning his first set by a 6-3 decision but reversed that score in the second.
Fallert regained control to take the final three games and even the match score at 3-3 and set up his classmate for the possible clinch.
Kraljevic then used the momentum to propel himself to take the final three games and clinch his first conference contest of the season, prevailing 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
The Rebels played the come-from-behind card early, dropping the doubles point. Ole Miss entered into singles play with a feeling of déjà vu, as their top three all faced the same competitor from earlier this season.
They first got on the board with a win on Court 4 from freshman Karlo Kranic, who rode a heavy lead in the opening set and never relented, winning 6-1, 6-2. It was his fourth straight victory, all coming in SEC play.
Junior Tim Sandkaulen narrowed the gap with a win at first singles, controlling the opener with a 4-1 advantage before going on to take the set. A battle ensued in the second, with Tim prevailing victoriously for his third ranked win of the season and second over the Tide's Mazen Osama.
UP NEXT
Ole Miss returns home for a trio of matches, welcoming Georgia, Tennessee, and Jackson State for weekend showdowns.
RESULTS
1. #73 T. Sandkaulen def. #36 M. Osama (Alabama), 6-2, 7-6 (4)
2. F. Kraljevic def. E. Ortiz (Alabama), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
3. F. Fallert def. P. Kaukovalta (Alabama), 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
4. K. Kranic def. R. Roberto (Alabama), 6-1, 6-2
5. Z. Zhou (Alabama) def. S. Junk, 6-2, 6-2
6. J. Gschwendtner (Alabama) def. J.S. Hain, 6-0, 6-0
1. #17 M. Osama/P. Kaukovalta (Alabama) def. #75 T. Sandkaulen/F. Kraljevic, 6-1
2. Z. Zhou/A. Nesterov (Alabama) def. F. Fallert/C. Wilson, 7-5
3. K. Kranic/F. Reynolds vs. E. Ortiz/R. Roberto (Alabama), 6-5, unfinished
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For more information on Ole Miss Men's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter @OleMissMTennis, on Facebook at OleMissMTennis and on Instagram at OleMissMTennis, follow Coach Hansson on Twitter at @TennisToby.
The win is also the second victory for the Rebels this season, as the squad took down the then-No. 16 Crimson Tide in a nonconference clash in late February. Ole Miss moves to 10-8 (2-4 SEC) on the spring season.
Down 2-3 and on the brink of defeat, the veteran duo were each presented with a scenario to battle through. Fallert, after being down 0-3 in his opening set, eventually dropped it 3-6 but responded in dominating fashion, taking eight consecutive games to sweep his second set and take a 2-0 lead into the third.
Kraljevic was in the opposite position, winning his first set by a 6-3 decision but reversed that score in the second.
Fallert regained control to take the final three games and even the match score at 3-3 and set up his classmate for the possible clinch.
Kraljevic then used the momentum to propel himself to take the final three games and clinch his first conference contest of the season, prevailing 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
The Rebels played the come-from-behind card early, dropping the doubles point. Ole Miss entered into singles play with a feeling of déjà vu, as their top three all faced the same competitor from earlier this season.
They first got on the board with a win on Court 4 from freshman Karlo Kranic, who rode a heavy lead in the opening set and never relented, winning 6-1, 6-2. It was his fourth straight victory, all coming in SEC play.
Junior Tim Sandkaulen narrowed the gap with a win at first singles, controlling the opener with a 4-1 advantage before going on to take the set. A battle ensued in the second, with Tim prevailing victoriously for his third ranked win of the season and second over the Tide's Mazen Osama.
UP NEXT
Ole Miss returns home for a trio of matches, welcoming Georgia, Tennessee, and Jackson State for weekend showdowns.
RESULTS
1. #73 T. Sandkaulen def. #36 M. Osama (Alabama), 6-2, 7-6 (4)
2. F. Kraljevic def. E. Ortiz (Alabama), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
3. F. Fallert def. P. Kaukovalta (Alabama), 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
4. K. Kranic def. R. Roberto (Alabama), 6-1, 6-2
5. Z. Zhou (Alabama) def. S. Junk, 6-2, 6-2
6. J. Gschwendtner (Alabama) def. J.S. Hain, 6-0, 6-0
1. #17 M. Osama/P. Kaukovalta (Alabama) def. #75 T. Sandkaulen/F. Kraljevic, 6-1
2. Z. Zhou/A. Nesterov (Alabama) def. F. Fallert/C. Wilson, 7-5
3. K. Kranic/F. Reynolds vs. E. Ortiz/R. Roberto (Alabama), 6-5, unfinished
-------------------------------
For more information on Ole Miss Men's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter @OleMissMTennis, on Facebook at OleMissMTennis and on Instagram at OleMissMTennis, follow Coach Hansson on Twitter at @TennisToby.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2
#1 Singles Match
12
67
Mazen Osama / 0 (36/-) [UA]
26
#2 Singles Match
123
636
Edson Ortiz / 0 [UA]
363
#3 Singles Match
123
366
Patrick Kaukovalta / 0 [UA]
603
#4 Singles Match
12
66
Riccardo Roberto / 0 [UA]
12
#5 Singles Match
12
22
Zhe Zhou / 0 [UA]
66
#6 Singles Match
12
00
Jeremy Gschwendtner / 0 [UA]
66
Order of Finish:
6,5,4,1,3,2
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