SAN ANTONIO — Igor Cantanhede and Takeru Watanabe both won in singles and doubles to lead the UTSA men's tennis team to a 6-1 victory against Cleveland State on Tuesday evening at the UTSA Tennis Center.
Cantanhede and Watanabe helped the Roadrunners (4-12) snap a three-match losing skid in their first-ever meeting with the Vikings (5-9) of the Horizon League.
Cleveland State had UTSA down early in doubles, as the visitors led on all three courts.
Colton Buffington and William Malm teamed up for a 6-3 win against Kai Breitbach and Juri Reckow at No. 2.
However, Fabian Brand and Cantanhede rallied from an early deficit at the top spot for a 7-5 win against Mirko Radosevic and Andre Mick to send all eyes to the third court for the doubles point.
There, Christian Carrillo and Watanabe fought back for a 7-6 (7-3) win against Nico Mostardi and Benjamin Slade to give the Birds a 1-0 advantage heading to singles.
Reckow made quick work of Buffington at No. 2 with a 6-0, 6-4 decision to push the home side's lead to 2-0.
Watanabe then pulled UTSA to within one point of clinching the match with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Malm at No. 4.
Slade got Cleveland State on the board with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-1) victory against Carrillo at No. 5, but Cronje secured the win by rallying for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory against Radosevic at the third position.
Cantanhede put UTSA up 5-1 with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Jack Santilli at the bottom of the lineup.
At No. 1, Breitbach outlasted Mostardi, 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 10-3 to provide the final 6-1 margin.
The Roadrunners will continue their home stand at 11 a.m. on Thursday against Navy (13-13).
UTSA 6, Cleveland State 1
Doubles
1. Brand/Cantanhede (UTSA) def. Mick/Radosevic (CSU) 7-5
2. Buffington/Malm (CSU) def. Kai Breitbach/Juri Reckow (UTSA) 6-3
3. Carrillo/Watanabe (UTSA) def. Mostardi/Slade (CSU) 7-6 (7-3)
Singles
1. Kai Breitbach (UTSA) def. Nico Mostardi (CSU) 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 10-3
2. Juri Reckow (UTSA) def. Colton Buffington (CSU) 6-0, 6-4
3. Axel Cronje (UTSA) def. Mirko Radosevic (CSU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-0
4. Takeru Watanabe (UTSA) def. William Malm (CSU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Benjamin Slade (CSU) def. Christian Carrillo (UTSA) 6-2, 7-6 (7-1)
6. Igor Cantanhede (UTSA) def. Jack Santilli (CSU) 6-4, 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,4,5,3,6,1)
