Yale Duo Claims Doubles Title; Lu Also Wins Singles Crown
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – For the fourth consecutive year, members of the Yale men's tennis team have claimed both the singles and doubles trophies at the Connecticut State Championships. Sunday's action at Yale's Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center featured three entertaining singles matches and a top-notch doubles final. When the tournament had come to a close, two Bulldogs had emerged as champions, with one pulling double duty.
Sophomore Tyler Lu, ranked No. 84 in the country, began proceedings in singles by eliminating the final non-Yale player in the main draw, Kei Ezaka of Quinnipiac. Despite Ezaka's push in the second set, Lu held on to ensure that the Bulldogs would clinch both titles at this year's tournament. In the all-Eli semifinal, youth defeated experience as freshman Ziqi Wang mounted a comeback to overcome senior Daniel Faierman 2-6, 6-4, 1-0.
The final two players remaining in the draw, then, were Yale's two most prolific players in singles so far this season, Lu and Wang, who took to the court to battle for the title. Lu was looking to defend his 2013 crown, while Wang was looking to follow in Lu's footsteps by claiming the Connecticut State Championships title in his debut. Ultimately, Lu managed to seal a 6-4, 6-4 victory.
Earlier in the day, Lu and Faierman had engaged in a thrilling encounter against their freshmen teammates Fedor Andrienko and Stefan Doehler in the doubles final. The match came down to the wire, but this time experience got the better of youth, as Lu and Faierman escaped with the 8-7 triumph.
Yale's main draw results from Sunday can be found below. Updated tournament draws can also be found below.
The final event on Yale's fall calendar is the United States Tennis Association (USTA)/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships, which will take place from Thursday, Nov. 6, to Sunday, Nov. 9, at the National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y.
Report by Robert Batista '15, Yale Sports Publicity
Singles – Semifinals
Tyler Lu (Yale) def. Kei Ezaka (Quinnipiac), 6-2, 7-6
Ziqi Wang (Yale) def. Daniel Faierman (Yale), 2-6, 6-4, 1-0
Singles – Final
Lu (Yale) def. Wang (Yale), 6-4, 6-4
Doubles – Final
Faierman/Lu (Yale) def. Fedor Andrienko/Stefan Doehler (Yale), 8-7
Singles Main Draw
Doubles Main Draw
Singles Consolation Draw
Doubles Consolation Draw
