Gamecock Veterans Drive Day 1 Success

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina men’s tennis saw its first match action of the season Friday morning, hosting the Gamecock Fall SEC Scramble at Carolina Tennis Center. In the three-day, round robin, Carolina battled Tennessee in four doubles and eight singles matches, bringing home six victories on the day with all nine Gamecocks on the active roster seeing action.
 
Three of the four doubles matches went to a tiebreak, and three of the eight singles matches were decided in three sets as both teams’ players knocked off the rust from a long delay since their 2019-20 seasons were abruptly ended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Four singles matches featured at least one set decided in a tiebreak as well.
 
 
Gamecock Notables

• Freshman Toby Samuel and junior Jake Beasley won the last four games of their match against Tennessee’s Martim Prata and Luca Wiedenmann to claim an 8-4 victory.
• The Carolina duos of Raphael Lambling/Philip Jordan and Beau Pelletier/Thomas Brown each rallied from a 6-7 deficit to force and ultimately win their matches in a tiebreak.
• Sophomore Connor Thomson picked up right where is freshman campaign left off with a quick 6-3, 6-2 domination of Tennessee’s Luca Wiedenmann in the first match off the courts.
• Junior Daniel Rodrigues used a first-set tiebreak win as momentum for a powerful 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over Tennessee’s Adam Walton.
• Junior Beau Pelletier was the lone Gamecock to win his three-set match. A tight first-set went his way after he dominated the tiebreak, but Tennessee’s Joel Gamerov bounced back with a 6-2 second-set win. Pelletier got an early break for a 3-1 lead, but gave it back a few games later. After holding at 5-4, he gutted out another break to claim the victory (7-6 (1), 2-6, 6-4).
• Both Gamecock freshmen saw the first singles action of their college careers. Toby Samuel exploded into his match with a 6-0 first set before Tennessee junior Pat Harper edged out a second-set tiebreaker and ultimately the match (0-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2).

 
 
The Gamecock Fall SEC Scramble continues on Saturday with South Carolina facing Kentucky at 9:30 a.m.
 
 
Gamecock Day 1 Singles Results
Daniel Rodrigues (SC) def. Adam Walton (TN) 7-6 (3), 6-3
Connor Thomson (SC) def. Luca Wiedenmann (TN) 6-3, 6-3
Martim Prata (TN) def. Raphael Lambling (SC) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Johannus Monday (TN) def. Phillip Jordan (SC) 6-1, 6-3
Pat Harper (TN) def. Toby Samuel (SC) 0-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2
Giles Hussey (TN) def. Thomas Brown (SC) 7-6 (4) , 6-4
Beau Pelletier (SC) def. Joel Gamerov (TN) 7-6 (1) , 2-6, 6-4
Josh Raab (TN) def. Carter Morgan (SC) 6-2, 6-4
 
Gamecock Day 1 Doubles Results
Adam Walton/Pat Harper (TN) def. Daniel Rodrigues / Connor Thomson (SC) 8-6
Raphael Lambling / Phillip Jordan (SC) def. Giles Hussey/Johannus Monday (TN) 8-7 (3)
Beau Pelletier / Thomas Brown (SC) def. Joel Gamerov/Josh Raab (TN) 8-7 (4)
Toby Samuel / Jake Beasley (SC) def. Martim Prata/Luca Wiedenmann (TN) 8-4