BOX SCORE (PDF)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Samford men's tennis team dropped a 4-0 decision in the team's spring opener at Alabama Monday night at the Roberta Alison Bamgardener Tennis Facility.

"I'm happy with the way we competed today," Samford head coach Rahim Esmail said. "We put ourselves in a position to be successful in doubles today on courts 1 and 2, but need to be better on the bigger points, across the board. We have a very young team that's willing to learn so I look forward to seeing where we can be come April."
 
Alabama jumped out to an early lead by winning the doubles point. The No. 3 doubles court was the first match to finish with Alabama's Thibault Cancel and Zhe Zhou defeating Samford's Justin Ghavami and Curran Verma, 6-1.
 
On the No. 1 doubles court, Mazen Osama and Spencer Richey of Alabama earned a 6-4 win over Samford's Jake Faundez and Hugo Moreira to clinch the point. The match on the No. 2 doubles court was not finished, ending with Max Rebol and Eduardo Lourido Sanchez of Samford and Alexey Nesterov and Edson Ortiz of Alabama in a 5-5 tie.
 
At No. 2 singles, 78^th-ranked Cancel from Alabama defeated Faundez, 6-1, 6-1. On the fifth singles court, Alabama's Ortiz defeated Samford's Verma, 6-3, 6-0. Alabama clinched the match at No. 1 singles when No. 63 Osama earned a 6-2, 6-4 win over Ghavami.
 
The singles matches at the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 courts were not finished.
 
Samford is now 0-1 with the loss. Alabama improves to 2-0 with the win.
 
Samford will return to action on Jan. 22, when the Bulldogs host Alabama State. The match is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start from the Samford Tennis Complex.
 
Alabama 4, Samford 0
Singles competition
1. #63 Mazen Osama (UA) def. Justin Ghavami (SAM) 6-2, 6-4
2. #78 Thibault Cancel (UA) def. Jake Faundez (SAM) 6-1, 6-1
3. Alexey Nesterov (UA) vs. Eduardo L. Sanchez (SAM) 6-4, 3-0, unfinished
4. Spencer Richey (UA) vs. Max Rebol (SAM) 6-4, 4-4, unfinished
5. Edson Ortiz (UA) def. Curran Verma (SAM) 6-3, 6-0
6. Langford Hills (UA) vs. Hugo Moreira (SAM) 7-5, 2-1, unfinished
 
Doubles competition
1. #32 Mazen Osama/Spencer Richey (UA) def. Jake Faundez/Hugo Moreira (SAM) 6-4
2. Alexey Nesterov/Edson Ortiz (UA) vs. Max Rebol/Eduardo L. Sanchez (SAM) 5-5, unfinished
3. Thibault Cancel/Zhe Zhou (UA) def. Justin Ghavami/Curran Verma (SAM) 6-1