Go Bears!
GO Bears!
Go Bears!
Men's Tennis Handles A&M To Clinch 10th Big 12 Crown
Bears down sixth-ranked Aggies, 5-2, to claim program's eighth perfect conference season.

April 20, 2011


#7 BAYLOR
19-3, 6-0
#6 Texas A&M
23-5, 4-1
Results | Photo Gallery | Highlights
  DOUBLES SINGLES F
  #1 #2 #3 #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6





2
5
 
Singles
Result
Krajicek d. Peers 7-6(4), 6-3
Ramirez d. Dadamo 7-6(9), 6-3
Rux d. Grigorov 6-4, 6-3
Klegou d. Maytin 6-3, 7-6(0)
Grangeiro d. Hoover 6-4, 6-4
Lengsfeld d. Bautista 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
 
Doubles
Result
Peers/Maytin d. Krajicek/Dadamo
Ramirez/Rux d. Ore/Grigorov 8-5
Bley/Grangeior d. Hoover/Bautista 8-4

Match Notes Baylor is now 8-2 against Texas A&M at home in the Big 12 era and has not lost to the Aggies in Waco since April 19, 2001. The Bears are now 91-15 in 15 seasons of Big 12 play and 61-4 over the last nine years. At home in conference, Baylor is 43-9 overall and 30-2 over the last eight season. This season, Baylor has a 4-3 record against top-10 teams and in his tenure Matt Knoll is 43-43 versus such opponents.
MEN'S TENNIS CENTRAL
• 2011 Men's Tennis Media Almanac
• Baylor Athletics Experience
• Sic 'Em Blog
• Pre-Match Notes
• 2011 Men's Tennis Quick Facts

WACO, Texas - The seventh-ranked Baylor men's tennis team returned the Big 12 Championship crown to Waco on Wednesday night by downing sixth-ranked Texas A&M, 5-2, at the Baylor Tennis Center.

"I think the biggest thing is we just played a pretty good match, arguably the best match we have played all year," head coach Matt Knoll said. "It was a great atmosphere for college tennis. I know our guys had a blast. I think this is really a special place to play college tennis. We have a great venue here and under the lights it was just fantastic."

After finishing third in the conference in 2010, Baylor hoisted the trophy after Wednesday's match for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons. Baylor now has 10 Big 12 regular season titles overall to go along with its seven Big 12 tournament trophies.

The win closes the regular season portion of the schedule for BU as the Bears racked up a 19-3 record and a perfect 6-0 mark in league play. Baylor has now finished undefeated in Big 12 Conference play in eight of the 15 years of the conference's existence. The loss drops Texas A&M to 23-5 and 4-1 Big 12 play. Baylor moves to 18-32-1 all-time versus Texas A&M, while holding a 17-7 record against the Aggies since the formation of the Big 12 Conference

The Bears raised their record in home matches to 15-2 and improved to 11-3 against nationally ranked opponents.

For the 19th straight match, BU opened with a doubles point win as the Bears swept all three doubles matches for the 12th time this season.

First, Julian Bley and Kike Grangeiro got past Colin Hoover and Alberto Bautista, 8-4 at the No. 3 spot. After dropping their two previous conference matches and sitting out of the Oklahoma State match, the BU duo responded to raise its record to 15-3.

To clinch the point, the sixth-ranked duo of Roberto Maytin and John Peers upset fourth-ranked Austin Krajicek and Jeff Dadamo, 8-4, at the top of the lineup. Maytin and Peers are now 16-2 in dual-match play, while finishing undefeated against Big 12 foes.

Baylor's senior tandem of Sergio Ramirez and Jordan Rux closed out doubles by beating the 48th-ranked Texas A&M pair of Junior Ore and Alexey Grigorov, 8-5 at the No. 2 spot. The 46th-ranked Bears have now won seven straight matches and are 13-3 in dual-match play with a 6-0 mark in conference action.

Baylor's three seniors, Peers, Ramirez and Rux were all recognized for their accomplishments during the break between doubles and singles play.

After the ceremony, Rux came out and played inspired tennis to notch the 100th singles win of his career by taking down Grigorov, 6-4, 6-3 at the No. 3 spot. Rux has now upped his record to 10-8 by winning seven of his last eight matches. The 100th singles win for Rux moves him into sole possession of ninth place on Baylor's all-time wins list.

Texas A&M would then tie the match with wins at No. 4 and No. 1 singles. First, the 90th-ranked Maytin succumbed to the 94th-ranked Alexis Klegou 6-3, 7-6(0). Then the 17th-ranked Peers faltered against No. 19 Krajicek, 7-6(4), 6-3, to lose for the first time since March 17.

"We played really solid at all nine spots," Knoll said. "I think even the matches we lost their guys played exceptionally well. I have to give their guys a lot of credit. They have a great team and I think every guy fought incredibly hard for us."

With the match all square, the 86th-ranked Ramirez would step up to give the Bears the lead as he upset the 40th-ranked Dadamo 7-6(9), 6-3 at No. 2 singles. With the win Ramirez improves to 13-7 in dual-match play and 4-2 in conference action.

"I think Sergio was down three or four set points over the course of it," Knoll said of the first set tiebreak. "That maybe personified the match for us. He was just incredible. He was just back there running side to side and battling his tail off. I thought it was a really impressive performance from him to hang in there like he did."

The Bears would claim the championship as Grangeiro closed out a 6-4, 6-4 win over Hoover at the No. 5 position. Grangeiro is now 16-4 dual-match play and 4-2 in league play.

"Kike had to fight for it," Knoll said. "Their guy did a great job of making him have to work and Kike came through. That is going to help us down the road for him to be in that situation."

With the match decided, No. 92 Dennis Lengsfeld captured a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Bautista at the bottom of the lineup.

The win gives Baylor the No. 1 seed at next week's Big 12 Championships in Waco. With the top seed Baylor will have a first round bye in the event, which means the Bears' next match, will be on Saturday, April 30 at noon.