PEACHTREE CITY, GA. - The 2021 Sun Belt Conference Men's Tennis Championship trophy will return to Mobile as No. 3 South Alabama outlasted top-seeded Georgia State 4-1 on Sunday afternoon at the Peachtree City Tennis Center. The feat marks the third-consecutive tournament title for the Jaguars.
South Alabama claimed the doubles point in the championship match. Georgia State earned the first win at No. 3 doubles, but the Jaguars made it 1-1 with a win at No. 2 doubles. Loic Cloes and Clement Marzol secured the doubles point with a 7-5 win on No. 1 doubles court.
In singles action, the Panthers evened the match 1-1 after Kevin Huynh won at No. 6 singles in straight sets (6-0, 6-3). South Alabama took a 2-1 lead after Sebastien Collard defeated Andrei Duarte in straight sets (6-4, 6-3) on the No. 4 singles court.
The Jaguars extended their lead 3-1 when Julien Evrard defeated Vazha Shubladze (6-1, 1-6, 6-2) at No. 1 singles. Less than 30 seconds later, Louis Delcour beat Mihaiin Marinescu in straight-sets (7-5, 6-4), clinching the championship match over the Panthers.
With the victory, South Alabama earns an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Division I Men's Tennis Selection Show will take place on Monday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
2021 SUN BELT MEN’S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
FINALS
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - South Alabama 4, Georgia State 1
Doubles
1. #49 Cloes, Loic/Marzol, Clement (USA) def. Huynh, Steven/Maughan, Harvey (GSUM) 7-5
2. Collard, Sebastien/Evrard, Julien (USA) def. Duarte, Andrei/Grinvalds, Roberts (GSUM) 6-4
3. Marinescu, Mihai/Shubladze, Vazha (GSUM) def. Delcour, Louis/Pet'ko, Leon (USA) 6-3
Singles
1. #89 Evrard, Julien (USA) def. Shubladze, Vazha (GSUM) 6-1, 1-6, 6-2
2. Maughan, Harvey (GSUM) vs. #91 Marzol, Clement (USA) 6-2, 3-6, 1-1, unfinished
3. Grinvalds, Roberts (GSUM) vs. Cloes, Loic (USA) 3-6, 6-6, unfinished
4. Collard, Sebastien (USA) def. Duarte, Andrei (GSUM) 6-4, 6-3
5. Delcour, Louis (USA) def. Marinescu, Mihai (GSUM) 7-5, 6-4
6. Huynh, Kevin(GSUM) def. Bugaj, Martin (USA) 6-0, 6-3