After two heartbreaking losses against Cal and USC, the Stanford men’s tennis team got a welcome break from the dual match format. This weekend, five Stanford doubles teams participated in the 121st annual Pacific Coast Doubles tournament in La Jolla, Calif. and performed impressively.
The tournament is hosted by the USTA and is open to male tennis players of all ages – pro or amateur.
The Pacific Coast Doubles gives a chance for players who do not usually crack the doubles lineup to play doubles in a highly competitive environment.
On Friday, Stanford set the tone for the weekend when all five doubles teams won their first round matches.
Freshmen Walker Kehrer and Sam Ecker played collegiate doubles together for the first time and went down in the round of 64 after their first round victory.
Juniors Greg Hirshman and Ted Kelly also lost in the second round, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. Hirshman is not a regular in the doubles lineup, but is undefeated thus far in his singles matches.
Junior Alex Clayton and senior Richard Wire, who usually play No. 2 doubles for Stanford, won two matches before losing to the top-seeded team. They lost to a squad of ex-pros in an excruciatingly close match – 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2).
Freshmen Matt Kandath and Denis Lin, who hold down the third spot in dual matches, got some revenge for the Cardinal’s loss against USC last Saturday. They defeated JT Sundling and Daniel Nguyen of USC in the round of 16, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.
“After the crushing loss against USC it was great to beat a team that has had a lot of success on the junior level,” Kandath said.
Sophomores Bradley Klahn and Ryan Thacher, who are ranked No. 2 in the nation, had the best weekend of all.
Stanford’s top pair was granted a first round bye and proceeded to win four matches in a row.
The semi-finals and finals were scheduled for Sunday afternoon, but the tournament was canceled due to rain and swirling winds.
The Cardinal will take a two-week break from matches for Dead Week and finals before it hits the road over spring break.
Stanford will play in Urbana-Champaign, Ill., against No. 13 Illinois on March 23. The Cardinal will then head to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a match against the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan upset No. 15 Cal on Thursday.