Men's Tennis Defeats Cumberland University 5-2 in Home Opener Friday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In its home opener Friday evening indoors at the Ensworth Tennis Center, the Belmont University men's tennis team earned its first win of 2025 with a 5-2 victory over NAIA Cumberland University (Tenn.). The Bruins (1-1) took the doubles point with ease before winning four of the six singles matches.
 
Freshman Esteban Ortiz clinched the match at No. 6 singles with a straight-set, 6-4, 6-3 win against the Phoenix's Hassan Ammar.
 
Belmont took a 1-0 lead in the match with convincing 6-3 doubles wins at the top two spots. The tandem of spring semester newcomers, sophomore Stefan Vedovelli and Ortiz, defeated Cumberland's Vitor Ferreira and Ammar on court one, while the duo of junior Esunge Ndumbe and freshman Charlie Robin topped the Phoenix's Elsey Kalashnikov and Gabriel Godoy on court two.
 
At No. 3 doubles, senior Diego Castro and junior Eli Mizerski led Cumberland's Daniel Wessels and Paul-Daniel Meyer 5-3 when the Bruins clinched the doubles point.
 
Mizerski posted the most dominant singles win at the fifth spot as he handled the Phoenix's Arne Sohmer 6-0, 6-2.
 
Robin then gave Belmont a 3-0 lead when he took care of Ferreira 6-2, 6-4 at No. 2 singles.
 
Following Ortiz's all-important win on court six, Cumberland (0-2) got its first point of the day at No. 4 singles where Vedovelli was forced to retire. Ndumbe was responsible for the Bruins' fifth and final point of the match as he downed the Phoenix's Fernando Flores 6-4, 7-5 at the top singles spot.
 
At No. 3 singles, Cumberland's Meyer squeaked out an 8-6 opening set tiebreak win against graduate Niklas von Hellens and took the second set, 6-3.
 
Up Next
Belmont is back in action Saturday at the Ensworth Tennis Center as the Bruins continue their three-match home weekend with Austin Peay. First serve is scheduled for 12 p.m. On Sunday, Belmont hosts North Alabama.
 
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