MTEN 2023 SBC Championship
0
Georgia State GSU (8-16)
4
Winner Old Dominion ODU (17-9)
Georgia State GSU
(8-16)
0
Final
4
Old Dominion ODU
(17-9)
Winner

Match Recap: Men's Tennis |

Panthers Close 2023 Falling Short in SBC Semifinals Facing Old Dominion

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga.— Georgia State men's tennis closed its 2023 spring campaign with a 4-0 loss to Old Dominion in the Sun Belt Conference semifinals at Peachtree City Tennis Center on Friday. Led by strong team play and standout performances at the top court by freshman and All-Sun Belt Singles and Doubles Second-Team selection Gabriele Datei late in the season, the Panthers posted wins in five of the team's final seven outings to end the spring charting an 8-16 overall record with a 5-5 mark while facing conference opponents.

Friday's semifinal in Peachtree City saw GSU open doubles competition and drop at the second and third courts. 1-0 down for the match following the loss in doubles, the Panthers entered singles and battled ODU in tightly contested matches at each court.

GSU fell behind 3-0 following losses at the third and sixth singles courts. Edward Tymes rallied from behind to force a third set at the fifth court, while Diego Padilha led, 7-5, 4-2 at court four and Datei battled in a narrow contest at the first court.

All three positions would ultimately end unfinished as GSU dropped the second court and fell short of victory facing the Monarchs, 4-0. Datei ended the match at No. 1 singles unfinished with a 6-7, 4-4 final count.

Fifth-year seniors Roberts Grinvalds and Padilha conclude play with GSU having contributed to the program's high level of success in each of its past five seasons. Each player helped lead the Panthers' men's tennis program to three consecutive Sun Belt Conference title matches from 2019-2022, as well as capture the championship title in 2022.

Grinvalds wraps competition for the Panthers having received All-Sun Belt honors in each of the last three seasons, including All-Sun Belt Second-Team honors for doubles in 2023 while partnering at the top court with freshman teammate Datei. The Latvia native notched over 60 total career victories in both singles and doubles competition while at GSU.

Padilha accounted for a career-high 12 doubles victories in 2022 as the native of Brazil contributed in large part to the Panthers' stellar 19-6 doubles mark for the SBC Championship title season. Padilha earned Dean's List or Athletic Director's Honor Roll honors for every semester at GSU, and was named an ITA Scholar-Athlete in 2020.

Head coach James Wilson wraps 2023 with five total victories over SBC foes. Wilson's first season coaching for the Panthers was highlighted by the team's late-season rally and trip to the conference semifinals.

Follow Georgia State men's tennis on social media (@GSUMTennis) for continued updates throughout the Panthers' offseason.



 

 
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