SPORTS | TENNIS
Duke men's tennis continues hot streak to begin ACC play
By Robert Miron | March 2, 2021Duke men’s tennis is riding high on momentum.
Duke men’s tennis is riding high on momentum.
Saturday was a sign that spring tennis truly is underway. And right on cue, the Blue Devils are hitting their stride as a team.
While the win marked the second consecutive sweep for the 10th-ranked Blue Devils, much of the focus Wednesday afternoon centered on Court 1.
There’s an argument to be made that no team was hurt more by the cancellation of the 2020 spring sports season than men’s tennis.
Duke looks to make its third straight Final Four appearance in three full seasons.
Chi and the rest of the Duke team never let up against the Mountaineers.
Duke has found its footing as a team and is starting to produce clear results on the court.
It wasn’t just a couple of get-right matches for Duke, as two elite freshman prospects donned the blue and white for the first time in a dual meet.
There were positive signs in Duke’s first dual matches of the season, but some predictable mistakes ultimately downed the Blue Devils.
The loss snapped Duke's 12-year streak of advancing to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships.
It's rare that two newcomers can make an impact on a team looking to make a Final Four for the third straight full season.
Duke men's tennis will head into next year without its top two seniors from last season.
The Blue Devils looked unstoppable as a whole en route to the team title, while Mallory Cecil took home the individual championship.
There will be no chance to avenge two straight NCAA semifinals losses for the Blue Devils.
Even without a true legacy, the 2020 season stands out as a major point of inflection for the Blue Devils.
Duke moves to 12-1 overall in dual match play.
On Friday, Duke played the part of David for once in a triumphant upset against tennis Goliath Illinois.
Head coach Ramsey Smith has seemed to experiment with different lineups for nearly every match this season, taking advantage of the vast depth his team has.
Although the nerves of playing in their first home dual match may have been apparent in the first hour, it was a blank sheet on the latter en route to convincing Duke singles victories.
Duke men's tennis fired on all cylinders all day long Saturday.