AUBURN, Ala. – The Alabama men’s tennis team (8-8, 2-3 SEC) fell in a 4-0 road match to No. 19 Auburn (13-2, 3-1 SEC) on Sunday.

The Tide was paced by the doubles pairing of Vit Kalina and Andrii Zimnokh, who tallied a win at the No. 1 spot. Additionally, Kalina, Zimnokh and Carlos Gimenez Perez all fought through opening-set tiebreakers in singles action.

“Today we played in a facility with a different set of furniture so to speak. Regardless of the layout or furnishings we were still required to demonstrate a willingness to compete. Starting outside and then moving indoors (due to rain) didn’t hurt us. Each doubles duo earned several match-point opportunities, but we only converted at one spot. That outcome did impact us.

“Yoshka (Sborowski) and Carlos battled to extend the match but ultimately our collective response was not good enough and Auburn ate it up.  We let the situation (furniture) get the best of us and that’s just the way it is in every SEC match.

“A very good weekend for us to discover what we are capable of and what’s required moving forward. Lessons learned.”

Match Notes

• Kalina and Zimnokh cruised to a 6-4 victory over the No. 25 pairing of Billy Blaydes and Freddy Blaydes
• The Tide’s remaining two doubles courts would go into a tiebreak against the Tigers
• In singles action, Kalina, Zimnokh and Gimenez Perez forced a first-set tiebreaker
• Both Kalina and Zimnokh were in a second set against their ranked foes on courts one and two, as Gimenez Perez battled into a second set on court four
• All three singles matches for Kalina, Zimnokh and Gimenez Perez would go unfinished

Next

• Alabama continues its road stretch, traveling to Kentucky (March 13) and Tennessee (March 15)

Results

Doubles

1. Vit Kalina/Andrii Zimnokh (UA) def. #25 Billy Blaydes/Freddy Blaydes (AUB) 6-4
2. Nicholas Heng/Joey Phillips (AUB) def. Jacob Olar/Matic Kriznik (UA) 7-6(4)
3. Jake Kennedy/Hamza Nasridinov (AUB) def. Rohan Hazratwala/Brendan Loh (UA) 7-6(8)

Singles

1. Vit Kalina (UA) vs. #33 Hamza Nasridinov (AUB) 6-7(4), 2-4, unfinished
2. Andrii Zimnokh (UA) vs. #61 Billy Blaydes (AUB) 6-7(5), 2-4, unfinished
3. Nicholas Heng (AUB) def. #75 Matic Kriznik (UA) 6-3, 6-0
4. Freddy Blaydes (AUB) def. Yoshka Sborowsky (UA) 6-1, 7-6(9)
5. Carlos Gimenez Perez (UA) vs. Alan Bojarski (AUB) 6-7(2), 1-1, unfinished
6. Manel Lazaro (AUB) def. Rohan Hazratwala (UA) 6-0, 6-3

Order of Finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,3,4)