IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's tennis team opened the 2024 dual-match season with a 7-0 win over Westcliff University Thursday afternoon at Anteater Tennis Stadium.
 
The 'Eaters got out to a quick start in doubles with Enrique Luque Rico and Matthew Sah making quick work of Maxence Kupfert/Alex Melgar, 6-1, at No. 2. Brandon Park and Noah Zamora then clinched the team point with a 6-3 victory over Max Mueller/Felix Veyhle on court one.
 
UCI (1-0) carried the momentum into singles where it won five of its six matches in straight sets. Luque Rico set the tone, dispatching Veyhle, 6-1, 6-0, at the top of the lineup. Hiroki Sakagawa also took down Mueller, 7-5, 6-1, at the second position, while Zamora was a 7-6, 6-2 winner over Karlo Krolo at No. 3.
 
Ali Amiri got the call at No. 6 and stepped up to the challenge, defeating Kupfert, 6-4, 6-3. Andy Nguyen bounced back from a first-set loss in a 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 comeback victory over Melgar on court four.
 
Lawee Sherif then made it a clean sweep after upending Borna Devald 7-6 (9), 6-1 at the fifth spot.
 
Westcliff (0-1) is ranked seventh in the NAIA Preseason Top-25.
 
UC Irvine will now head to No. 7 USC for a 1:30 p.m. showdown on Friday, Jan. 19. The match was originally scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 20, but was moved up due to inclement weather in the forecast.