DAVIS, Calif. — After two clutch singles matches that lead to the best team start in over a decade, sophomore Chethan Swanson was recognized as the Big West Conference Athlete of the Week for the first time in his career.
With this award, UC Davis men's tennis has had an Athlete of the Week recipient for nine consecutive seasons, and 11 out of the 12 seasons the Aggies have been part of the Big West Conference.
Swanson posted a perfect 2-0 singles record over the weekend, with both victories occurring in must-win situations in three-set matches. In the first match of the day against Pacific, the team score was tied at 2-2, with Swanson and sophomore Ivan Thamma being the last two matches on the court. Swanson stormed back after dropping the first set 4-6 to easily take the next two 6-1, 6-3, guaranteeing that UC Davis would either win the match outright, or go into deciding doubles play, due to a change in format to accommodate the weather delays.
In the second match of the doubleheader against Fresno State, Swanson again found himself to be one of the last two matches on court, but this time, the overall team score was at 2-3, and this was a must-win match for the Aggies to force doubles play. In the third set, Swanson and his opponent junior Cagatay Soke were on serve, with Swanson leading 5-4, when the match was postponed and moved to Stonegate Country Club due to darkness. After a nearly 15 minute delay, Swanson and his opponent each held serve to lead to a tiebreaker to decide the match. With clutch tennis, Swanson held off his opponent and secured the 3-3 match tie 7-4 in the tiebreaker.
This is just the second time in program history that UC Davis has beaten Fresno State, and both victories occurred by 4-3 scores.
UC Davis def. Pacific, 4-2
5. Chethan Swanson (UCD) def. Akram El Sallaly (UOP), 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
UC Davis def. Fresno State, 4-3
4. Chethan Swanson (UCD) def. Cagatay Soke (FSU), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(4)
The Aggies conclude a busy week of tennis with three home matches, starting on Friday at 1 PM against Eastern Washington. On Saturday, UC Davis takes on Sacramento State (9 AM) and Holy Names (12 PM) in a doubleheader.
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
