ITHACA, N.Y. — The Big Red are traveling to Durham, NC to compete in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend event on Saturday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 26. Cornell is currently 1-1 on the season after defeating the University of Tulsa and losing to the University of Oklahoma in its last time out.
Cornell will first take on Vanderbilt University on Saturday, Jan. 25 and then will either play Duke or Old Dominion on Sunday, Jan. 26 in the consolation or championship match depending on how day one plays out.
CORNELL at VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
SITE: Duke University - Durham, NC
DATE: Saturday, Jan. 25
SERIES: Vanderbilt leads, 0-1
CORNELL at DUKE / OLD DOMINION
SITE: Headington Family Tennis Center
DATE: Sunday, Jan. 19
SERIES: Duke leads Cornell, 1-2 / Cornell leads Old Dominion, 7-4
LAST TIME OUT: CORNELL MEN'S TENNIS FALLS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
NORMAN, OK ---- #23 Radu Papoe handed Cornell its only point in a 4-1 loss to the University of Oklahoma on Sunday. The Big Red fall to 1-1 to start its spring season of play.
Papoe was the lone winner for Cornell as he defeated #62 Luis Alvarez in two sets 6-2 and 7-5. Jack McCarthy, Nathan Mao and Eric Verdes dropped their singles matches which gave the Sonners three points to the Big Red's one. Rodrigo Fernandes and Felipe Pinzon's matches both went unfinished resulting in no points for either side.
In doubles competition, #61 Rushil Khosla and Eric Verdes faced off against #100 Oscar Lacides and Bruno Nhavene and the Big Red were up 5-3, but the match went unfinished. #109 Papoe and Rodrigo Fernandes were defeated by Kholo Montis and Luis Alvarez 6-2 and Adit Sinha and Nathan Mao lost 6-4 to Asahi Harazaki and Alejandro Melero which gave the University of Oklahoma the point for doubles play and led them to a 4-1 victory over Cornell.
The Big Red will compete next on Saturday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 26 in the ITA Kickoff Weekend where it will face Vanderbilt, Old Dominion and Duke.
INSIDE THE OPPONENTS
Vanderbilt Notes
Saturday's match-up will be the second all-time meeting between Cornell and Vanderbilt since their first match-up in 2022. The Commodores lead the Big Red 1-0 after defeating Cornell 4-3 in Massachussetes on February 27, 2022. Returner Radu Papoe was the only player that won his singles match and is currently still on the roster for Cornell.
Duke Notes
Sunday's possible match-up would be the fourth all-time meeting between Cornell and Duke since they first met in 1947. The Blue Devils lead the Big Red 2-1 and are on a two-match winning streak over Cornell. The Big Red's last win against Duke came in the first match-up between teams on April 9, 1947. The last time these teams faced off, Duke won 4-1 at home.
Old Dominion Notes
Sunday's possible match-up would be the 12th all-time meeting between Cornell and Old Dominion since they first met in 1980. The Big Red lead the Monarchs 7-4 and are on a two-match winning streak over Cornell. In the first meeting between these teams on March 19, 1980, Old Dominion won 9-0. The Monarchs last win against Cornell came on March 23, 2012 when Old Dominion defeated Cornell 4-3 at home. The last time these teams faced off, Cornell won 5-2 at home.
