Tulsa Comes From Behind to Defeat Alabama

Sunday, February 13

Tulsa, Okla.

12:00 PM

Tulsa

Alabama

Tulsa Comes From Behind to Defeat Alabama

2/13/2022 4:18:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score 2021-22 Tulsa Men's Tennis Season Stats

TULSA, Okla. ― After falling behind 3-1, the Tulsa men's tennis team manufactured a comeback to knock off Alabama 4-3 Sunday afternoon inside the Michael D. Case Tennis Center. The Hurricane extend its home winning streak to four, as well as improve to 5-3 on the season. With the loss, Alabama drops to 3-6.

Kody Pearson clinched the match and completed the comeback over the Crimson Tide just seconds after Callum Gale won at No. 6. Pearson knocked off No. 41 Filip Planinsek 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, to give the Sydney, Australia native his first ranked win of the spring.

"It was a very tough performance," Pearson said. "We found a way to get out of a slump. Going into the singles we knew if we put our head down we could open this match wide up."

Alabama started off the match quick in doubles play, jumping out to a quick 6-0 victory at No. 2 position before following it with a 6-3 win at the No. 3 slot. Pearson and Connor Di Marco, who played No. 1 singles, were up 5-4 on No. 51 Planinsek/Samofalov before Alabama clinched the point.

After a win at No. 3 to push the Crimson Tide lead to 2-0, Di Marco got the Hurricane on the board after a straight sets win. The junior is now 5-1 in singles play this spring, and 3-0 in the No. 5 slot.

Alabama's Enzo Aguiard knocked off No. 86 Ezequiel Santalla 7-5, 6-4 to put the Crimson Tide one point away from a road win.

Both Adham Gaber and Gale fell behind in their singles matches, each dropping the first set. Gaber and Gale, who played at No. 2 doubles today, bounced back strong, as Gaber went on to win his next two sets 6-2, 6-1, and minutes later Gale won 6-0 in his third set to give Pearson the opportunity to clinch Tulsa's fifth victory of the season.

Tulsa will look to extend its home winning streak and build off today on Wednesday, February 16^th against Arkansas. First serve is set for 6 pm at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.

Tulsa 4, Alabama 3
Singles:
1. Kody Pearson (TLS) def. #41 Filip Planinsek (UA) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
2. Enzo Aguiard (UA) def. #86 Ezequiel Santalla (TLS) 7-5, 6-4
3. German Samofalov (UA) def. Stefan Hampe (TLS) 6-3, 6-3
4. Adham Gaber (TLS) def. Juan Martin (UA) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Connor Di Marco (TLS) def. Zach Foster (UA) 6-1, 6-4
6. Callum Gale (TLS) def. Rudi Christiansen (UA) 4-6, 7-5, 6-0

Doubles:
1. Connor Di Marco/Kody Pearson (TLS) vs. #51 Filip Planinsek/German Samofalov (UA) 5-4, unfinished
2. Enzo Aguiard/Joao Ferreira (UA) def. Adham Gaber/Callum Gale (TLS) 6-1
3. Rudi Christiansen/Juan Martin (UA) def. Daniel Siddall/Tom Thelwall-Jones (TLS) 6-3