IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine men's tennis opened its home slate Saturday at the Racquet Club of Irvine dropping the match, 6-1, to Grand Canyon.

The visitors took the doubles point to start things off earning the set at No. 2 doubles, and Anteater duos of Alex Guajardo-Sohrob Amiryavari and Tal Goodman-Max Fardanesh each needed additional sets, but GCU took No. 3 doubles, 7-5, to clinch the 1-0 lead.

Singles were even through the opening sets with three 'Eaters and three Lopes coming away with the opening set. Hiroki Sakagawa at No. 1 singles quickly leveled the match, 1-1, with a 6-2, 6-4 straight set win. GCU fought back winning four of the five other second sets taking a point along the way at No. 2 singles to regain the lead, 2-1. Greg Gamal at No. 6 singles took his second set sending the four remaining points to a third and final set. 

Gamal could not hold off his opponent dropping the third set, 6-3, to make it 3-1 GCU. Fardanesh at No. 3 singles also fell despite dropping his opening set to a tiebreak, 7-6 (8), and the clinching point to GCU now leading, 4-1.
 
Amiryavari let his first-set lead slip dropping sets two and three to put GCU up 5-1, and the final point went to a tiebreak at No. 5 singles with Ruining Huang falling, 7-6 (1), for the 6-1 final in favor of Grand Canyon.
 
UCI will be back in action on the road with two matches next week starting Friday, February 6 at San Diego with first serve at 12:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon 6, UC Irvine 1
Racquet Club of Irvine - Irvine, Calif.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
UCI (0-2) | GCU (6-1)

Doubles
1. Goodman/Fardanesh (UCI) vs. Jankoski/Patoux (GCU) -- 6-6 (unf.)
2. Berard/Loizas (GCU) def. Sachdev/Sakagawa (UCI) -- 6-2
3. Macababbad/Pade (GCU) def. Amiryavari/Guajardo (UCI) -- 7-5
Order of finish: 2, 3

Singles
1. Hiroki Sakagawa (UCI) def. Andreas Loizas (GCU) -- 6-2, 6-4
2. Tristan Berard (GCU) def. Tal Goodman (UCI) -- 6-2, 6-4
3. Daniel Jankoski (GCU) def. Max Fardanesh (UCI) -- 7-6 (8), 1-6, 6-3
4. Diordan Macababbad (GCU) def. Sohrob Amiryavari (UCI) -- 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
5. Brice Patoux (GCU) def. Ruining Huang (UCI) -- 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1)
6. Charlie Pade (GCU) def. Greg Gamal (UCI) -- 7-5, 3-6, 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 2, 6, 3, 4, 5