Despite some weather delays that pushed back the start of its first dual match, nothing could detain the UCLA men’s tennis team from getting a solid start to its season.
Fourth-ranked UCLA (1-0) took care of an overmatched No. 70 Brigham Young University (2-1) team at the Los Angeles Tennis Center yesterday evening with a final score of 7-0.
With sporadic rain drops falling on the Westwood campus all day, the possibility of canceling the match was up in the air. About two hours after the scheduled start, the players were finally let onto the court.
“Those are good dress rehearsals too,” coach Billy Martin said. “The schedule doesn’t always fit exactly they way we have it planned. We’ve got to be flexible and mature enough to be able to handle that.”
And the Bruins certainly showed those qualities as the Cougars took just one set in total.
Although they have played in several individual tournaments so far this school year, this victory was essential for UCLA to get used to the team setting, especially for some of the players who are playing as Bruins for the first time.
“I think it’s important for the guys to feel a team match,” senior Harel Srugo said. “For some of the guys, I know that they didn’t feel the excitement of the competition (in the fall) because it was not a team match. I think it’s important for the guys to feel like they’re playing for the team.”
Despite not playing at all during the fall season, Srugo was one of the highlights of the match. Making his debut at the No. 3 spot, he posted a dominant 6-0, 6-2 victory.
“I felt great,” he said. “It was very exciting to play again for the team.”