ROCK HILL, SC—The Winthrop men’s tennis team improves to 2-0 in Big South Conference matches after downing Radford 4-3 in the Eagles home opener Sunday afternoon at Memorial Courts.

 

After splitting at number one and two doubles, Thiago Barbosa and Bastian Moldehnke won the deciding match at number three 9-8 (7-4) over Zachary Watson and Luka Rister to give Winthrop the point.

 

Radford evened the match when No. 38 Martin Sayer defeated Rodrigo Santos 6-0, 6-3 in number one singles. The Eagles would go on to claim the next three singles matches to take the 4-1 lead with two matches still on the courts.

 

Jorge Padilla defeated Patrick Metham 6-2, 6-4 at number five singles to put Winthrop on top for good against the Highlanders. Playing number three singles, Alejandro Portugal picked up a 6-2, 6-4 win over Rister and Moldenhke won 6-4, 6-1 at number two against James Lloyd.

 

Winthrop returns to action Tuesday afternoon when it hosts Hampton at 2 p.m. at Memorial Courts.

 

 

Winthrop 4, Radford 3

Singles
1. No. 38 Martin Sayer (RU) def. Rodrigo Santos 6-0, 6-3
2. Bastian Moldehnke (WU) def. James Lloyd 6-1, 6-1
3. Alejandro Portugal (WU) def. Luka Rister 6-2, 6-4
4. Mehdi Benhammou (RU) def. Arthur Takahashi 7-5, 6-3
5. Jorge Padilla (WU) def. Patrick Metham 6-2, 6-4
6. Zachary Watson (RU) def. Thiago Barbosa 6-4, 7-5

Doubles
1. Santos/Germano Knoor (WU) def. Lloyd/Sayer 8-5
2. Benhammou/Metham (RU) def. Padila/Portugal 8-3
3. Moldehnke/Barbosa (WU) def. Watson/Rister 9-8