Jan. 24, 2004

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Memphis men's tennis team (0-1) dropped its season opener at No. 54 Tennessee (1-0), Saturday. The Tigers, who were ranked No. 69 in the country heading into the match, got their one point from junior Marten Tamla, who won his No. 4 singles match 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-6 (0).

Tennessee swept the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles match and since both teams had two matches to play together, the No. 3 match of Alex Bucewicz and Tamla was suspended, even though the Tiger duo was up 6-4.

UT's Damien Spizzo downed freshman James Spence, 6-2, 6-3, to put Tennessee up 2-0, and Wade Orr downed Bucewicz, 6-4, 0-6, and 6-2 to stretch the lead to 3-0. Senior Simon Rea, the No. 64 ranked singles player in the country, then upended Lee Taylor Walker, the No. 48 ranked player 7-6 (2), 6-4, to clinch the match in Tennessee's favor. Tamla then gave Memphis its next point before freshman Sam Withell fell in his Tiger career opener, 6-3, 7-5, at No. 5 singles. Kiril Tcherveniachki then closed out the match with a 7-6, 6-1 win over Alex Jago at No. 6 singles.

The Tigers are currently playing UT Martin in a non-conference match. That match began at 3 p.m. (ET). Memphis will face Tennessee Tech, Sunday, in a match slated to begin at 1 p.m.

No. 54 Tennessee 6, No. 69 Memphis 1
Singles
1) No. 64 Simon Rea (UT) def. No. 48 Lee Taylor Walker (UM), 7-6(2), 6-4
2) Damien Spizzo (UT) def. James Spence (UM), 6-2, 6-3
3) Wade Orr (UT) def. Alex Bucewicz (UM), 6-4, 0-6, 6-2
4) Marten Tamla (UM) def. Ben Rogers (UT), 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(0)
5) Ockie Oosthuizen (UT) def. Sam Witatll (UM), 6-3, 7-5
6) Kiril Tcherveniachki (UT) def. Alex Jago (UM), 7-6, 6-1
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1*, 4, 5, 6
Doubles
1) Orr/Spizzo (UT) def. Walker/Spence (UM), 8-4
2) Rea/Rogers (UT) def. Jago/Witatll (UM), 8-5
3) Berry/Oosthuizen (UT) vs. Bucewicz/Tamla (UM), susp. (UM leading 6-4)
Order of finish: 2, 1
* Clinching point