Men’s tennis swung into the 2024 season with a road trip to Arizona. On Thursday, they beat Grand Canyon University, 5-2. On Friday, the team lost both legs of a doubleheader with Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University, 4-0.

Thursday

Wichita State opened the season by beating Grand Canyon on Thursday. The Shockers won two of the three doubles matches and four of the six singles matches against the Lopes.

In the doubles courts, sophomores Luke Bracks and Alejandro Jacome delivered the first win for the Shockers on the day, 7-5. 

On court one, freshman Vanja Hodzic and graduate student Misha Kvantaliani were defeated, which left it up to court two’s sophomore Richey King and graduate student Marcelo Sepulveda.

The duo fought the match to a 6-6 game tie before winning the tiebreak, 7-2.

The Shockers won on the first three singles courts. Jacome and Kvantaliani swept their opponents, while Hodzic won his matchup in the third set.

King won on court six in a tight matchup, winning the tiebreaker in the third set, 7-5.

Friday

On Friday, Wichita State played a doubleheader against Northern Arizona and Arizona State. Both legs ended with the same scoreline: a 4-0 defeat for the Shockers.

Against Northern Arizona, Wichita State was swept on the doubles courts, failing to pick up a set. In singles, Bracks and Hodzic each won a set in their matchups, but both matches failed to conclude after wins on courts two, four and six wrapped up the overall victory for Northern Arizona.

It was the same day and the same script against Arizona State. Wichita State was swept again in doubles. No Shockers singles players were able to claim a set victory, and Jacome’s match on court one was ended due to injury.

The men’s tennis team will travel to Texas Tech on Saturday, Jan. 20.