LOGAN, Utah – Utah State men's tennis opened its 2021 season Saturday, defeating regional rival Idaho State, 5-2.

The Aggies opened the match winning the doubles point. After splitting the victories on courts one and three, redshirt freshman Souf El Mesbahi and sophomore Roko Savin clinched the point in a tiebreak win (7-6 (8-6). Senior Felipe Acosta and sophomore Javier Ruiz played in the No. 1 position, falling, 6-4. In the No. 3 spot, fifth-year senior Sergiu Bucur and freshman Keanu Rigby teamed up for a 6-2 victory. 

Singles action proved to be a back-and-forth affair. Idaho State tied the match with a straight-set win in the No. 3 position, where Savin fell, 6-4, 6-2. USU took the lead back on a sweep by Acosta (6-4, 6-2), but a loss for Bucur in the No. 1 position (0-6, 6-2, 6-1) evened things up again. Rigby made his collegiate singles debut with a straight-set win (6-2, 6-4) in the No. 6 spot. El Mesbahi clinched the match after a long-fought battle in the No. 4 position. Both the first and third sets went to tiebreaks before he closed out the win (7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 7-6 (11-9)). Ruiz kept things going, posting a comeback victory (4-6, 7-5, 6-0) in the No. 5 position. 

Utah State is off next week, but returns with three road matches in Washington. The Aggies will play a doubleheader in Spokane, Wash., on Saturday, Feb. 6, taking on Seattle and Gonzaga at 10 a.m. (MT) and 6 p.m., respectively. The team will then play at Eastern Washington on Sunday, Feb. 7, at 10 a.m.

Fans can follow USU's men's tennis team on Twitter @USUMensTennis, on Facebook at UtahStateMensTennis or on Instagram at USUMensTennis. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter at @USUAthletics, on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics or on Instagram at @USU Athletics.

RESULTS
Doubles
1. Patrik Trhac/Aleksander Petrovic (ISU) def. Felipe Acosta/Javier Ruiz (USU) 6-4
2. Souf El Mesbahi/Roko Savin (USU) def. Robert Steinhauser/Gary Rendek (ISU) 7-6 (8-6)
3. Sergiu Bucur/Keanu Rigby (USU) def. Ege Cankus/Jaime Castillo-Lopez (ISU) 6-2

Singles
1. Patrik Trhac (ISU) def. Sergiu Bucur (USU) 0-6, 6-2, 6-1
2. Felipe Acosta (USU) def. Jaime Castillo-Lopez (ISU) 6-4, 6-2
3. Aleksander Petrovic (ISU) def. Roko Savin (USU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Souf El Mesbahi (USU) def. Hiroki Fujita (ISU) 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 7-6 (11-9)
5. Javier Ruiz (USU) def. Robert Steinhauser (ISU) 4-6, 7-5, 6-0
6. Keanu Rigby (USU) def. Ege Cankus (ISU) 6-2, 6-4

Match Notes
Utah State, 1-0
Idaho State, 0-1
Order of finish: Doubles - 1, 3, 2; Singles - 3, 2, 1, 6, 4, 5