Upcoming Event: Men's Tennis versus ITA Regionals on October 15, 2025
Men's Tennis
vs ITA Regionals
Friday, February 7
Salt Lake City, UT
12:00 PM
University of Utah
6
vs
1
Utah State
Photo by: Steve Kinslow
Utah Men's Tennis Remains Undefeated At Home, Downs Utah State and Idaho State on Friday
2/7/2020 7:52 PM | Men's Tennis
Utes make quick work of Aggies and Bengals at the Eccles Tennis Center.
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah men's tennis team continued their stellar start within the friendly confines of the George S. Eccles Tennis Center this season by picking up a pair of wins on Friday, first with a 6-1 win over Utah State and then a 4-0 sweep against Idaho State. Utah moves to 7-2 on the year, which includes a perfect 7-0 home record.
Utah began the doubleheader against in-state foe Utah State early Friday afternoon. Utah's senior pair of Slava Shainyan and Azat Hankuliyev got the ball rolling in doubles with a win on court three, but the Aggies soon matched with a win on court two. Up to both squad's top doubles teams, Randy Cory and Russell Benkaim found themselves in a highly competitive match that would come down to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Cory and Russell would pull out the victory 7-6 and put the Utes on the board 1-0 with the doubles point.
In singles, Wally Thayne and Paul McCallie earned the first singles wins for Utah against their opponents in the No. 5 and No. 6 positions, respectively. Utah State was able to snag the win on court four, but the Utes put away any comeback hopes for the Aggies by earning another pair of straight set wins by Russell Benkaim and Slava Shainyan. Completing the 6-1 win for Utah, Franco Capalbo dropped a tight first set, but bounced back in the next two to roll to a win in the top spot.
Looking to continue the home success, Utah was set to take on Idaho State in the back half of the doubleheader. In doubles, the Utes and Bengals played competitive sets throughout and Idaho State would take a win on court two, forcing Utah's No. 1 and No. 3 duos needing to come out victorious. Cory/Benkaim and Hankuliyev/Shainyan came through for Utah, each winning their respective sets 6-4 to earn the 1-0 lead.
On court two in singles action, Benkaim made quick work of Idaho State's Fynn Lohse with a 6-1, 6-2 win to claim the first singles win for Utah. Shortly after, Thayne was found rolling in his match and downed Kyler Hartman 6-0, 6-2. Leading 3-0 after a dominant start to singles from the Utes, Capalbo ended the match with a victory in the No. 1 position with another dominant singles win, 6-3, 6-0 against Lukas Ridemar.
The Ute men's tennis team will hit the road next week to take on Denver on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. MT in Denver. Before returning home, Utah will close out the road trip with a match against New Mexico on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. MT in Albuquerque, N.M.
Utah 6, Utah State 1
Singles:
Franco Capalbo (UU) def. Felipe Acosta (USU), 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Sergiu Bucur (USU), 6-3, 7-5
Slava Shainyan (UU) def. Javier Ruiz (USU), 6-4, 7-5
Arvid Hjalte (USU) def. Mathias Gavelin (UU), 5-7, 3-6
Wally Thayne (UU) def. Roko Savin (USU), 6-3, 6-4
Paul McCallie (UU) def. Christian Holmes (USU), 6-4, 6-3
Order of finish: 5, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Doubles:
Randy Cory/Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Felipe Acosta/Javier Ruiz (USU), 7-6 (4)
Sergiu Bucur/Arvid Hjalte (USU) def. Wally Thayne/Franco Capalbo (UU), 6-3
Slava Shainyan/Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Roko Savin/Christian Holmes (USU), 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
Utah 4, Idaho State 0
Singles
1. Franco Capalbo (UU) def. Lukas Ridemar (ISU), 6-3, 6-0
2. Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Fynn Lohse (ISU), 6-1, 6-2
3. Slava Shainyan (UU) vs. Patrick Trhac (ISU), 4-6, 4-1, unf.
4. Mathias Gavelin (UU) vs. Gary Rendek (ISU), 6-2, 4-2, unf.
5. Wally Thayne (UU) def. Kyler Hartman (ISU), 6-0, 6-2
6. Azat Hankuliyev (UU) vs. Yohann Prinsen (ISU), 6-2, 3-2, unf.
Order of finish: 2, 5, 1
Doubles
1. Randy Cory/Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Lucas Ridemar/Fynn Lohse (ISU), 6-4
2. Patrick Trhac/Gary Rendek (ISU) def. Franco Capalbo/Wally Thayne (ISU), 4-6
3. Slava Shainyan/Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Kyler Hartman/Yohann Prinsen (ISU), 6-4
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3
Utah began the doubleheader against in-state foe Utah State early Friday afternoon. Utah's senior pair of Slava Shainyan and Azat Hankuliyev got the ball rolling in doubles with a win on court three, but the Aggies soon matched with a win on court two. Up to both squad's top doubles teams, Randy Cory and Russell Benkaim found themselves in a highly competitive match that would come down to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Cory and Russell would pull out the victory 7-6 and put the Utes on the board 1-0 with the doubles point.
In singles, Wally Thayne and Paul McCallie earned the first singles wins for Utah against their opponents in the No. 5 and No. 6 positions, respectively. Utah State was able to snag the win on court four, but the Utes put away any comeback hopes for the Aggies by earning another pair of straight set wins by Russell Benkaim and Slava Shainyan. Completing the 6-1 win for Utah, Franco Capalbo dropped a tight first set, but bounced back in the next two to roll to a win in the top spot.
Looking to continue the home success, Utah was set to take on Idaho State in the back half of the doubleheader. In doubles, the Utes and Bengals played competitive sets throughout and Idaho State would take a win on court two, forcing Utah's No. 1 and No. 3 duos needing to come out victorious. Cory/Benkaim and Hankuliyev/Shainyan came through for Utah, each winning their respective sets 6-4 to earn the 1-0 lead.
On court two in singles action, Benkaim made quick work of Idaho State's Fynn Lohse with a 6-1, 6-2 win to claim the first singles win for Utah. Shortly after, Thayne was found rolling in his match and downed Kyler Hartman 6-0, 6-2. Leading 3-0 after a dominant start to singles from the Utes, Capalbo ended the match with a victory in the No. 1 position with another dominant singles win, 6-3, 6-0 against Lukas Ridemar.
The Ute men's tennis team will hit the road next week to take on Denver on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. MT in Denver. Before returning home, Utah will close out the road trip with a match against New Mexico on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. MT in Albuquerque, N.M.
Utah 6, Utah State 1
Singles:
Franco Capalbo (UU) def. Felipe Acosta (USU), 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Sergiu Bucur (USU), 6-3, 7-5
Slava Shainyan (UU) def. Javier Ruiz (USU), 6-4, 7-5
Arvid Hjalte (USU) def. Mathias Gavelin (UU), 5-7, 3-6
Wally Thayne (UU) def. Roko Savin (USU), 6-3, 6-4
Paul McCallie (UU) def. Christian Holmes (USU), 6-4, 6-3
Order of finish: 5, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Doubles:
Randy Cory/Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Felipe Acosta/Javier Ruiz (USU), 7-6 (4)
Sergiu Bucur/Arvid Hjalte (USU) def. Wally Thayne/Franco Capalbo (UU), 6-3
Slava Shainyan/Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Roko Savin/Christian Holmes (USU), 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
Utah 4, Idaho State 0
Singles
1. Franco Capalbo (UU) def. Lukas Ridemar (ISU), 6-3, 6-0
2. Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Fynn Lohse (ISU), 6-1, 6-2
3. Slava Shainyan (UU) vs. Patrick Trhac (ISU), 4-6, 4-1, unf.
4. Mathias Gavelin (UU) vs. Gary Rendek (ISU), 6-2, 4-2, unf.
5. Wally Thayne (UU) def. Kyler Hartman (ISU), 6-0, 6-2
6. Azat Hankuliyev (UU) vs. Yohann Prinsen (ISU), 6-2, 3-2, unf.
Order of finish: 2, 5, 1
Doubles
1. Randy Cory/Russell Benkaim (UU) def. Lucas Ridemar/Fynn Lohse (ISU), 6-4
2. Patrick Trhac/Gary Rendek (ISU) def. Franco Capalbo/Wally Thayne (ISU), 4-6
3. Slava Shainyan/Azat Hankuliyev (UU) def. Kyler Hartman/Yohann Prinsen (ISU), 6-4
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
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/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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