UTSA beat cross-town rival, the University of Incarnate Word, 6-1 on Friday at Mabry Tennis Center.
“There is one bird in San Antonio, and she can fly,” freshman Ben Chetewy Ungar claimed after the Roadrunners (5-7) put an end to the Cardinals (6-4) four-game win streak. With the decision to play through every match, the men had the opportunity to showcase all of their skills, especially two athletes who had yet to play in the city of their future Alma Mater.
Making both his doubles and singles debut at a Division I school, junior Luke Cantu aided senior Danijal Muminovic in their 6-2 takedown against Alexandre Chauvel and Marco Rodriguez. Cantu went on to play Chauvel in singles and beat him 1-6, 6-2, 6-4.
“Honestly, it’s a dream come true,” Cantu said of his UTSA debut. “It’s a privilege to play on this team or to even practice with these guys. The seniors are great; the freshmen are great. You just have to be grateful in any position. To warm up, help them work out, stretch with them, through all of that, you have to be grateful.”
Cantu’s mother, father and brother — Cole Cantu— who goes to UIW, came out to support him during his season debut.
“I called him last night. We were talking, and he said, ‘So you’re playing?’ ‘Yes, last minute, coach put me in,’” the San Antonio native said of his conversation with his brother. Cantu asked his younger brother if he would root for him to which he replied, “Yes, but I’ll wear UIW.”
Freshman Jakub Wlodarczyk, who has previously made appearances in both singles and doubles matches in away games, also made his San Antonio debut against the Cardinals. The Pole defeated Mateo Galvez 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to earn his first win in the Alamo City.
Seniors Miguel Alonso and Tiago Torres reunited as doubles partners to beat Emilio Vila and Alejandro Hernandez 7-6. Torres fought off Vila during singles and triumphed in a tie-breaking three-game match to win 7-6, 4-6, 10-5. Muminovic beat Hernandez 0-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a tie-breaker as well.
Freshman duo Oskar Grzegorzewski and Ungar swept 6-0 during their doubles. Neither competed in singles matches as fellow freshman Enzo Vargas stepped up as the only ‘Runner to win a two-game match, beating Rafael Candelas 6-3, 6-0.
This was the first tennis match that the men have won in San Antonio since beating the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley back during their home opener on Jan. 25.
The men’s tennis team will travel to Dallas, Texas during spring break to battle the Southern Methodist University Mustangs at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex.
