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Violets sting Yellowjackets, net 8 wins in rout in Bronx

Photo by Daniel Jean-Lubin N.Y.U.’s Alex Jacobs at the Stadium Tennis Center near Yankee Stadium.
Photo by Daniel Jean-Lubin
N.Y.U.’s Alex Jacobs at the Stadium Tennis Center near Yankee Stadium.

BY DANIEL JEAN-LUBIN  |  New York University’s men’s tennis team earned its second win of the season, beating the visiting University of Rochester 8-1 at the Stadium Tennis Center on Sat., April 6.

The series began with N.Y.U. (2-3) taking the doubles portion, 2-1. For the N.Y.U. Violets, Harveer Bhalla and Aaron Meltzer paired up to grab a win against the University of Rochester Yellowjackets’ (11-6) Boris Borovcanin and Josh Jachuck, 8-4. The Violets’ key breaks of serve both came after tight midcourt rallies.

Bhalla and Meltzer went undefeated in both singles and doubles play along with two other teammates, and both also fired four aces, holding serve all but once.

In the day’s first singles match, N.Y.U.’s CJ Leong defeated Ian Baranowski, 6-2, 6-1. Baranowski found himself in trouble early as Leong was able to capitalize on his second break-point opportunity to jump out to an early 1-0 lead. Now serving, Leong won the second game easily.

Baranowski was then finally able to get on the board, racing out to an early 40-15 lead, before dropping a booming ace to take the third game. The response would not be enough, however, and Leong took the first set, 6-2.

Baranowski, along with Joel Allen, had taken home the Yellowjackets’ only win of the day in a long, hard-fought 8-5 doubles win. But he seemed totally out of gas at the end against N.Y.U.’s Leong, who overpowered him in the second set, 6-1.

In the day’s final singles match, N.Y.U.’s James Dean dispatched Rochester’s Jonathan Lieb in a quick 6-2, 6-1 match. Lieb fired aggressive forehands early on in the first game that were quickly tracked down and returned by the speedy Dean.

Dean’s deft racket work around the net made a difference. He won eight of 12 points at the net, including two points that produced service breaks. Lieb would often tap in quick drop shots over the net, in hopes of an easy point, but Dean was always too quick and got to them.

In final scores, N.Y.U. doubles team Harveer Bhalla and Aaron Meltzer defeated Rochester’s Boris Borovcanin and Josh Jachuck, 8-4.

N.Y.U.’s Steven Wu and CJ Leong defeated Ben Shapiro and Matt Levine, 8-3. Rochester’s Ian Baranowski and Joel Allen beat Ting Yee Lai and William Smithline, 8-5.

In singles, N.Y.U.’s Wu beat Borovcanin, 6-3, 6-3. N.Y.U.’s Bhalla defeated Levine, 6-1, 6-0. N.Y.U.’s Meltzer bested Shapiro, 6-4, 6-1. Leong of N.Y.U. topped Baranowski, 6-2, 6-1. The Violets’ Sidd Thangirala beat Allen, 6-2, 7-6(5). James Dean of N.Y.U. won over Rochester’s Jonathan Lieb, 6-2, 6-1.

The New York University men’s and women’s teams both host Ithaca College at the Stadium Tennis Center at Mill Pond on Sat., April 13.