Radford Wins 2022 Men's Tennis Championship
Radford (14-7, 6-1 BSC) notched its seventh Big South Tournament title in program history Sunday afternoon with a 4-3 win over top-seeded Campbell.
Konstantinos Raptis played hero for the Highlanders, securing the final point on his court to clinch the victory.
The day began with a doubles point that would prove to be crucial by the end of the match. Despite falling on court one, the team rebounded with a pair of comeback wins on courts two and three.
On court three
Aditya Balsekar and
Robert Hagen trailed early but the duo fought back with a vengeance to ultimately take the court 7-5. All eyes turned to Raptis and
Guilherme Severin who were in a tiebreaker on court two. The pairing burst out to a 3-1 lead in the tiebreaker, proving crucial as they went on to win 7-6(3) and give Radford a 1-0 lead.
Radford carried that momentum into singles play, something it wasn't able to accomplish in the last meeting with the Camels earlier this spring. Needing just three courts for victory, the program got to work with intense battles on all six courts.
Reigning Big South Player of the Year
Demis Taramonlis faced an early 3-1 deficit on the top court but was practically flawless from that point on. He proceeded to win the first set and dominate in the second set 6-4, 6-0 to finish first and make it a 2-0 lead for the Highlanders.
Campbell struck back, taking court six to shorten the lead to 2-1. All four courts remaining were either in third sets or tiebreakers in the second set that decided the Highlanders' fate. Balsekar, after dropping his first set, rebounded in a massive way to give Radford a 3-1 lead. The sophomore won 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 leaving no question as the match grew older.
Campbell took both the second set tiebreakers on courts two and three which evened the match up at three-all and left Raptis as the final Highlander competing. After dominating in the first set the second set went the Camels' way forcing a winner-takes-all third set.
Raptis did not hesitate in building a 5-1 advantage to put the trophy within grasp. Campbell fought back, winning the next two games to pull within 5-3. Raptis was able to serve once more with match point and took full advantage sealing the victory and holding on to win 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
The victory sealed up Radford's seventh Big South tournament title in program history and second in the last three fully-played seasons. The tournament title was the second for head coach
Rob Bareford and also the second championship for four-year players
Andres Silva, Will Crane and
Dylan Whitehead.
The Highlanders will take a couple days to celebrate before moving their focus to the NCAA Tournament. The Selection Show for men's tennis is currently scheduled for May 2 where the Highlanders will learn who their first round opponent will be.
4/24/2022 at Charlotte, NC
(Marion Diehl Park)
Radford 4, Campbell 3
Singles
1. Demis Taramonlis (RAD) def. Damien Nezar (CAM-M) 6-4, 6-0
2. Tomas Balazi (CAM-M) def. Guilherme Severin (RAD) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)
3. Pol Otin (CAM-M) def. Andres Silva (RAD) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Konstantinos Raptis (RAD) def. Benjamin Maes (CAM-M) 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
5. Aditya Balsekar (RAD) def. Robin Angles (CAM-M) 3-6, 6-2, 6-0
6. Noe MacQuart (CAM-M) def. Robert Hagen (RAD) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
1. Tomas Balazi/Leon Petko (CAM-M) def. Demis Taramonlis/Andres Silva (RAD) 6-3
2. Guilherme Severin/Konstantinos Raptis (RAD) def. Damien Nezar/Benjamin Maes (CAM-M) 7-6 (7-3)
3. Aditya Balsekar/Robert Hagen (RAD) def. Ted Williams/Gustavs Lukstins (CAM-M) 7-5
Records: Radford 14-7; Campbell 16-6
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,6,5,3,2,4)
Big South Championship Final
Time: 3:15