UCSB men’s tennis stun #10 UCLA in Westwood

WESTWOOD, Calif. (KEYT) - UC Santa Barbara delivered a historic performance on Sunday, knocking off No. 10 UCLA, 4-1, to capture the ITA Kickoff Weekend Championship match and secure one of the program's biggest wins in history. The victory marked UCSB's second all-time win over UCLA and capped off a flawless weekend for the Gauchos.

THE MATCH
Final: UC Santa Barbara 4, UCLA 1
Records: UC Santa Barbara (3-0), UCLA (2-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED
The tone was set early in doubles, where the Gauchos swept the point in convincing fashion. Miguel Avendano and Lucca Liu dismantled the No. 47-ranked pair of Rudy Quan and Aadarsh Tripathi, 6-2, on court two. Minutes later, Lorenzo Brunkow and Diogo Morais sealed the doubles point with a 6-3 win over Gianluca Ballotta and Andy Nguyen on court three, giving the Gauchos a 1-0 advantage heading into singles. The top doubles match was left unfinished at 4-4.

UCLA evened the score briefly in singles, as Aadarsh Tripathi claimed a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Carson Lee on court five. From there, it was all Gauchos. No. 70 Lucca Liu delivered a commanding win in the No. 1 position, taking down No. 53 Rudy Quan in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, to swing momentum firmly back in UCSB's favor. Charlie Underwood followed with a composed 6-3, 6-2 win over Gianluca Ballotta on court six, putting UC Santa Barbara on the brink of closing out the dual.

The match-clinching point came in the No. 4 position, where Diogo Morais turned in a dominant performance against Andy Nguyen, earning a 6-2, 6-3 victory and qualifying the Gauchos to Team Indoor Nationals. Play was stopped on the remaining courts with UCLA holding narrow leads at the time.

The win improved UC Santa Barbara to 3-0 on the season, while UCLA fell to 2-1. Beyond the numbers, the result stands as a landmark moment for the Gauchos, showcasing their depth, composure, and ability to compete with the nation's elite on one of college tennis' biggest early-season stages.

RESULTS
Doubles

1. Conrad Brown/Dominique Rolland (UCSB) vs. #19 Spencer Johnson/Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) 4-4, unfinished
2. Miguel Avendano/Lucca Liu (UCSB) def. #47 Rudy Quan/Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) 6-2
3. Lorenzo Brunkow/Diogo Morais (UCSB) def. Gianluca Ballotta/Andy Nguyen (UCLA) 6-3

Order of finish: 2, 3

Singles

1. #70 Lucca Liu (UCSB) def. #53 Rudy Quan (UCLA) 6-3, 6-4
2. #32 Dominique Rolland (UCSB) vs. #75 Spencer Johnson (UCLA) 3-6, 4-5, unfinished
3. Miguel Avendano (UCSB) vs. #20 Emon van Loben Sels (UCLA) 3-6, 3-5, unfinished
4. Diogo Morais (UCSB) def. Andy Nguyen (UCLA) 6-2, 6-3
5. Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. Carson Lee (UCSB) 6-1, 6-1
6. Charlie Underwood (UCSB) def. Gianluca Ballotta (UCLA) 6-3, 6-2

Order of finish: 5, 1, 6, 4

UP NEXT
UC Santa Barbara hosts South Florida in its first Big Six match of the season on Feb. 1 at 12 p.m., featuring a T-shirt giveaway along with food and drinks for fans.

(Article courtesy of UCSB Athletics)