Pinchbeck Paces Men's Tennis

You could say that Daniel Pinchbeck had another easy day.

After barely breaking a sweat against Furman and West Virginia, the Australian freshman had won 32 consecutive games.

The streak progressed to 52 on Monday as the North Carolina men's tennis team smothered Campbell 7-0 at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.

"I'm really just playing some tennis," said the sixth-seeded Pinchbeck, who won both his singles and doubles matches. "I've just been focusing on every point and winning games while doing my bit."

The streak started against Furman on Feb. 6, when Pinchbeck lost the first game but won the next 12. Then he and his doubles partner, Trystan Meniane, goose-egged West Virginia's J.R. Randall and Jared Anderson on Saturday, and the streak has continued since. Monday, Pinchbeck and Meniane beat Jiri Beranok and Loic Legoff 8-0.

"The streak is definitely pretty crazy," Meniane said. "It's especially crazy with the doubles match. I don't exactly get to see the singles matches, but I'm guessing he is playing very well."

UNC coach Sam Paul switched the lineup Monday, moving No. 5 Meniane to the No. 3 spot and moving the previously third-seeded Geoff Boyd and No. 4 Andy Metzler back a position.

Meniane topped Beranok 6-2, 6-4, hitting 12 winners in the match.

"I have a lot of confidence in my line-ups," Paul said. "Actually, I feel like if I reversed the lineup we could still win some matches."

Boyd finished off Zorick Tolstan 6-3, 6-0, while Metzler beat Martin Parkes

6-3, 6-1. Pinchbeck then swept Steve Hoeltschi 6-0, 6-0.

The top two seeds didn't have any trouble winning their points, as No. 1 Marcio Petrone beat Andreas Mardbrink 6-1, 6-4. Petrone tallied nine winners to Mardbrink's four.

UNC's No. 2 seed, Nicholas Monroe, won 6-1, 6-4 against Sasa Ljumic.

The Tar Heels (4-1) won the doubles point in less than an hour, with the

No. 1 doubles team of Monroe and Boyd winning 8-2 against Mardbrink and Ljumic of Campbell (1-2).

The finish improved upon the pair's loss last week to West Virginia.

"Our doubles played better than they did last week," Paul said. "They need to come out there and play every match."

The No. 2 doubles team also won Monday, as Petrone and Greg Archer topped Tolstan and Parkes 8-4.

"I feel like we are in a good spot," Paul said. "I'm pleased with where we are, and if we continue to get better each day we should be able to win a few big matches."

 

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.