Upcoming Event: Men's Tennis versus Utah Invitational on October 3, 2025
Men's Tennis
vs Utah Invitational
Saturday, February 22
Salt Lake City, UT
10:00 AM
University of Utah
7
vs
0
Montana State
Men's Tennis Sweeps Montana State and Southern Utah
2/22/2020 6:56 PM | Men's Tennis
Utes close out strong weekend with three home wins.
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah men's tennis team recorded two sweeps on Saturday to remain undefeated at home this season. Utah first defeated Montana State 7-0 and closed out the weekend with a 7-0 victory over Southern Utah. The Utes are now 10-4 on the season and have a perfect 10-0 record at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center.Â
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"I think with how emotional the match was yesterday, you could tell that it was a little hard to get back up and play well today," said head coach Roeland Brateanu. "However, to blank two regional teams is great and I think that the guys took care of business. Overall, we got better this weekend and we are looking forward to next week."
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In the first match of the day against Montana State, the Utes continued their stellar play in doubles and earned the 1-0 lead. The No. 54-ranked duo of Randy Cory and Russell Benkaim led Utah on court one and defeated Nejc Sitar and Christian Damgaard Qvist, 6-4. Seniors Azat Hankuliyev and Slava Shainyan then finished things off at the No. 2 spot, as they downed Joaquin Espinoza and Manuel Monteiro also with a score of 6-4.
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The Utes were dominant in singles play and did not drop a set across the board. Wally Thayne's opponent retired due to injury at the No. 5 position after Thayne had built a 3-1 lead and put the Utes up 2-0. Mathias Gavelin picked up a 6-0, 6-4 win against Marcos Zelver on court three before Shainyan clinched the match in the No. 2 position. Shainyan topped Montana State's Joaquin Espinoza 6-2, 6-3 to ensure the Ute win. Cory, Benkaim, and Hankuliyev each went on to win their matches to complete the Ute sweep over the Bobcats.
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Next up for Utah was a match against Southern Utah to complete the weekend. The Utes picked up the doubles point after another win from Hankuliyev and Shainyan, while Gavelin and Thayne collected a 6-2 doubles win. The pairs of wins from the No. 2s and No. 3s put Utah up 1-0.
In singles, the Utes continued rolling and took a 2-0 lead from another Thayne win on court five with sets of 6-1, 6-1. Benkaim put Utah in winning position from a 6-4, 6-1 win against RJ Parker, followed by Hankuliyev's straight-set win that would seal the win. Hankuliyev downed Connor Tordoff 6-3, 6-2. To complete the sweep against SUU, Cory battled in a three-set match, while Shainyan and Gavelin's matches were sent to tiebreaks to determine a winner. All three Utes came out on top to earn the second 7-0 victory of the day.
The Utah men's tennis team will be back in action next week at the Eccles Tennis Center to host their final doubleheader of the year. Utah will host Loyola Marymount at 12 p.m. MT on Saturday, Feb. 29, followed by a match at 5 p.m. MT against Northern Arizona.
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Utah 7, Montana State 0
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Doubles (1,2)
#54 Benkaim/Cory (UU) def. Sitar/Damgaard Qvist (MST), 6-4
Hankuliyev/Shainyan (UU) def. Espinoza/Monteiro (MST), 6-4
Gavelin/Thayne (UU) vs. Stoner/Zelver (MST), 5-5, unf.
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Singles (5,3,2,4,1,6)
Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Nejc Sitar (MST), 7-6, 6-3
Slava Shainyan (UU) def. Joaquin Espinoza (MST), 6-2, 6-3
Mathias Gavelin (UU) def. Marcos Zelver (MST), 6-0, 6-4
Randy Cory (UU) def. Christian Damgaard Qvist (MST), 6-4, 6-4
Wally Thayne (UU) def. Chase Stoner (MST), 3-1, ret.
Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Manuel Monteiro (MST), 6-4, 7-6
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Utah 7, Southern Utah 0
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Doubles (2,3)
#54 Cory/Benkaim (UU) vs. Parker/Shin (SUU), 4-2, unf.
Hankuliyev/Shainyan def. (UU) Erro/Tordoff (SUU), 6-1
Gavelin/Thayne (UU) def. Williams/McCaig (SUU), 6-2
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Singles (5,1,6,3,2,4)
Russell Benkaim (UU) def. RJ Parker (SUU), 6-4, 6-1
Slava Shainyan (UU) def. Juan Erro (SUU), 6-4, 3-6, 10-3
Randy Cory (UU) def. Nolan McCaig (SUU), 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Mathias Gavelin (UU) def. Keonho Shin (SUU), 7-5, 4-6, 10-7
Wally Thayne (UU) def. Jose Ortega (SUU), 6-1, 6-1
Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Conor Tordoff (SUU), 6-3, 6-2
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"I think with how emotional the match was yesterday, you could tell that it was a little hard to get back up and play well today," said head coach Roeland Brateanu. "However, to blank two regional teams is great and I think that the guys took care of business. Overall, we got better this weekend and we are looking forward to next week."
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In the first match of the day against Montana State, the Utes continued their stellar play in doubles and earned the 1-0 lead. The No. 54-ranked duo of Randy Cory and Russell Benkaim led Utah on court one and defeated Nejc Sitar and Christian Damgaard Qvist, 6-4. Seniors Azat Hankuliyev and Slava Shainyan then finished things off at the No. 2 spot, as they downed Joaquin Espinoza and Manuel Monteiro also with a score of 6-4.
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The Utes were dominant in singles play and did not drop a set across the board. Wally Thayne's opponent retired due to injury at the No. 5 position after Thayne had built a 3-1 lead and put the Utes up 2-0. Mathias Gavelin picked up a 6-0, 6-4 win against Marcos Zelver on court three before Shainyan clinched the match in the No. 2 position. Shainyan topped Montana State's Joaquin Espinoza 6-2, 6-3 to ensure the Ute win. Cory, Benkaim, and Hankuliyev each went on to win their matches to complete the Ute sweep over the Bobcats.
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Next up for Utah was a match against Southern Utah to complete the weekend. The Utes picked up the doubles point after another win from Hankuliyev and Shainyan, while Gavelin and Thayne collected a 6-2 doubles win. The pairs of wins from the No. 2s and No. 3s put Utah up 1-0.
In singles, the Utes continued rolling and took a 2-0 lead from another Thayne win on court five with sets of 6-1, 6-1. Benkaim put Utah in winning position from a 6-4, 6-1 win against RJ Parker, followed by Hankuliyev's straight-set win that would seal the win. Hankuliyev downed Connor Tordoff 6-3, 6-2. To complete the sweep against SUU, Cory battled in a three-set match, while Shainyan and Gavelin's matches were sent to tiebreaks to determine a winner. All three Utes came out on top to earn the second 7-0 victory of the day.
The Utah men's tennis team will be back in action next week at the Eccles Tennis Center to host their final doubleheader of the year. Utah will host Loyola Marymount at 12 p.m. MT on Saturday, Feb. 29, followed by a match at 5 p.m. MT against Northern Arizona.
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Utah 7, Montana State 0
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Doubles (1,2)
#54 Benkaim/Cory (UU) def. Sitar/Damgaard Qvist (MST), 6-4
Hankuliyev/Shainyan (UU) def. Espinoza/Monteiro (MST), 6-4
Gavelin/Thayne (UU) vs. Stoner/Zelver (MST), 5-5, unf.
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Singles (5,3,2,4,1,6)
Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Nejc Sitar (MST), 7-6, 6-3
Slava Shainyan (UU) def. Joaquin Espinoza (MST), 6-2, 6-3
Mathias Gavelin (UU) def. Marcos Zelver (MST), 6-0, 6-4
Randy Cory (UU) def. Christian Damgaard Qvist (MST), 6-4, 6-4
Wally Thayne (UU) def. Chase Stoner (MST), 3-1, ret.
Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Manuel Monteiro (MST), 6-4, 7-6
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Utah 7, Southern Utah 0
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Doubles (2,3)
#54 Cory/Benkaim (UU) vs. Parker/Shin (SUU), 4-2, unf.
Hankuliyev/Shainyan def. (UU) Erro/Tordoff (SUU), 6-1
Gavelin/Thayne (UU) def. Williams/McCaig (SUU), 6-2
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Singles (5,1,6,3,2,4)
Russell Benkaim (UU) def. RJ Parker (SUU), 6-4, 6-1
Slava Shainyan (UU) def. Juan Erro (SUU), 6-4, 3-6, 10-3
Randy Cory (UU) def. Nolan McCaig (SUU), 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Mathias Gavelin (UU) def. Keonho Shin (SUU), 7-5, 4-6, 10-7
Wally Thayne (UU) def. Jose Ortega (SUU), 6-1, 6-1
Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Conor Tordoff (SUU), 6-3, 6-2
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Players Mentioned
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