Playing three matches in three days, the U men’s tennis team won one of three in Mountain West Conference play, losing to BYU and San Diego State 7-0, and beating UNLV 5-2.
Against SDSU, the Utes only won one match when David Mercier and Nik Yip defeated Oliver Maiberger and Ryan Redondo?the No. 3 doubles pair in the country?9-8.
“We had just nothing to lose,” Mercier said. “[I told Nik] to just serve out and be aggressive.”
Unfortunately, Daniel Carlsson and Tyler Poulsen were beaten by Felix Hardt and Tino Pest 9-8, and Corrie Scheepers and Daniel Lohff were downed by Travis Hasson and Gabe Coren, 8-5.
The Utes could not match up to the Aztecs’ singles play, losing all six matches in straight sets.
Maiberger defeated Scheepers 6-4, 6-3 in the No. 1 spot. In the No. 2 spot, Yip lost to Pest 6-3, 6-3. Carlsson couldn’t beat Hardt 6-4, 6-2. Poulson lost to Hasson 6-3, 6 2. Lohff lost to Redondo 6-3, 6-3. And Tobias Tangberg lost to Coren 6-4, 6-1.
That was the second straight time the Utes had lost a match 7-0.
But the Utes bounced back well against No. 54 UNLV, defeating the Rebels 5-2.
Mercier returned to singles action, defeating Thomas Schneiter 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the No. 1 spot. Scheepers defeated Romain Tug 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 2 position. Carlsson defeated Thomas Michaud 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Poulson beat Leslie Eislinga 6-7, 6-2, 6-2.
The Utes’ losses came when Yip lost to UNLV’s Aviram Salomon 6-3, 6-4, and Lohff lost to Andrew Maurer, 3-6, 6 1, 7-6.
The Utes won all three doubles matches. Mercier and Yip beat Salomon and Eislinga 9-7. Carlsson and Poulson downed Schneiter and Maurer 8-3. Lohff and Scheepers defeated Tug and Michaud 8-4.
The Utes are now 2-3 in conference play and will head to Las Vegas for the conference championships on April 25 through 27.
A big part of those championships will be No. 1 player Mercier, who has been plagued with what trainers are calling a severe case of tennis elbow.
“It’s alright,” Mercier said. “It gets weak sometimes. It gets sore, so my hand isn’t feeling too good.”
There is ligament damage in the elbow that will require surgery after the season.
Mercier will take some rest next week, hoping to feel well enough to play in singles matches all three days of the conference championship.