Blue Devils Fall to Clemson in ACC Championship Second Round

Thursday, April 21

Rome, Ga. / Rome Tennis Center

10 a.m.

Duke University

[62] Clemson

Blue Devils Fall to Clemson in ACC Championship Second Round

4/21/2022 2:45:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

ROME, Ga. – No. 22 Duke dropped a 4-3 decision to No. 62 Clemson in the ACC Championship second round on Thursday morning at the Rome Tennis Center.

The Tigers improve their overall record to 13-13 and advance to face fourth-seeded Louisville in Friday's quarterfinals, while the Blue Devils dip to 16-8 on the year. Duke now shifts its attention to the NCAA men's tennis tournament. The selection show will take place Monday, May 2 at 6 p.m.

During Thursday's match, the Blue Devils won the first of three doubles matches to kick off the day. The sophomore tandem of Faris Khan and Niroop Vallabhaneni defeated Ryuhei Azuma and Spencer Whitaker on the top court, 6-1. The Tigers responded with a 6-3 victory on court three by Jorge Plans Gonzalez and Daniel Labrador over Andrew Dale and Andrew Zhang. With the doubles point coming down to the outcome on court two, Michael Heller and Garrett Johns bested Teodor Giusca and Maxwell Smith, 6-3, to secure the 1-0 edge.

The Blue Devils extended their lead to 2-0 after No. 55 Johns earned a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Azuma on court one.

Unfortunately, Clemson strung together three consecutive wins on courts two, six and four to pull in front, 3-2. Giusca started the rally by beating Zhang 6-4, 6-3 on court two. Smith then bested Dale in three sets 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 on court six to tie the overall match. Whitaker secured the Tigers' third point with a three-set come-from-behind win over Edu Güell on court four. Güell registered a 7-5 victory in the opening frame but dropped the next two to sets 6-4, 6-2.

Vallabhaneni tied the match up for Duke at 3-3 with his three-set win on court five. The Paradise Valley, Ariz., native dropped his opening set 7-6 (5) but battled back for 6-1, 6-1 wins in the final two frames to register the win.

Much like the doubles points, the outcome of the contest would come down to the final match. Rookie Connor Krug earned a thrilling 7-6 (5) victory in the first set on court three, but his opponent Plans Gonzalez would respond with a 7-6 (3) win in the second. The Tigers then hung on down the stretch for the 6-3 victory in the final frame to secure the overall win.

RESULTS
Singles (1,2,6,4,5,3*)
1. Garrett Johns (DU) def. Ryuhei Azuma (CLE) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
2. Teodor Giusca (CLE) def. Andrew Zhang (DU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Jorge Plans Gonzalez (CLE) def. Connor Krug (DU) 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
4. Spencer Whitaker (CLE) def. Edu Güell (DU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
5. Niroop Vallabhaneni (DU) def. Daniel Labrador (CLE) 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-1
6. Maxwell Smith (CLE) def. Andrew Dale (DU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4

Doubles (1,3,2*)
1. Niroop Vallabhaneni/Faris Khan (DU) def. Ryuhei Azuma/Spencer Whitaker (CLE) 6-1
2. Garrett Johns/Michael Heller (DU) def. Teodor Giusca/Maxwell Smith (CLE) 6-3
3. Jorge Plans Gonzalez/Daniel Labrador (CLE) def. Andrew Zhang/Andrew Dale (DU) 6-3

#GoDuke