WINSTON-SALEM – The Elon men's tennis team kicked off its spring campaign Saturday with a 6-1 victory against Saint Joseph's. The contest was played on neutral courts at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.

The Phoenix won two of three in doubles to clinch the opening point before taking five-of-six in singles to secure the victory.

The Rundown

• After losing the first doubles match to finish on Court 3, the Phoenix clinched the doubles point with wins at the Nos. 1 and 2 spots.
• Jack Curtis and Rafael Ymer teamed up for Elon's first doubles win of the season, dispatching Dami Abdusamadov and Santiago Valle on Court 2, 6-3. The match was tied at 3-3 before the Elon duo earned the first break of the contest to go ahead 4-3. They held serve after the ensuing changeover before breaking again to close out the victory.
• It was the 11th victory for Curtis and Ymer as a duo, as they paired for a team-best 10 dual doubles wins a season ago.
• In the final match to finish, Nikola Parichkov and Veljko Krstic secured the doubles point for Elon with a 6-4 triumph against Othman Bezzaz and Ernesto Ruy, the No. 70 duo in the current ITA doubles rankings, at the No. 1 spot. The Elon duo, which represented the CAA at November's ITA Conference Masters, broke serve at 4-4 before serving out the match in the next game.
• Parichkov wasted little time putting the Phoenix ahead 2-0 as the sophomore raced to a 6-1, 6-4 victory at No. 3 singles against Davi Carlos. It was Parichkov's first dual singles win for Elon in his spring debut with the team.
• Oskar Antinheimo put Elon on the doorstep of victory with a convincing straight-set win of his own on Court 6. The senior defeated Jakob Gaudreau Barnes 6-1, 6-2 for his 36th career dual singles victory. It was his first appearance at No. 6 singles since 2022, as he improved to 4-0 in his career at that spot in the lineup.  
• Charles Pilet secured the winning point for the Phoenix, coming through a tight 7-6 (2), 6-3 decision versus Abdusamadov at the No. 5 spot to move Elon ahead 4-0. It was his seventh career dual singles win, six of which have come at the No. 5 position.
• Krstic, ranked No. 91 in the current ITA singles rankings, battled through a three-setter on Court 1 against Bezzaz, winning 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 for his 39th career dual singles win. It was the senior's seventh dual singles win in a full third set.
• Ymer wrapped up the contest by coming through a match tiebreak on Court 2 against Santiago Valle. The sophomore dropped the opening frame in a tiebreak but fought back for a 6-7 (2), 7-5, 10-8 victory. It was his third career dual win in a match tiebreaker.
• The win was Elon's first in a season opener since 2018, snapping a streak of seven straight losses in opening matches.

 
Up Next
Elon will take on No. 17 Duke on Friday in its second straight indoor match to open the season. The contest is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start.

Results
Singles
1. No. 91 Veljko Krstic (Elon) def. Othman Bezzaz (Saint Joseph's) 6-3, 0-6, 6-4
2. Rafael Ymer (Elon) def. Santiago Valle (Saint Joseph's) 6-7 (2), 7-5, 10-8
3. Nikola Parichkov (Elon) def. Davi Carlos (Saint Joseph's) 6-1, 6-4
4. Ernesto Ruy (Saint Joseph's) def. Jack Curtis (Elon) 5-7, 6-4, 10-6
5. Charles Pilet (Elon) def. Damir Abdusamadov (Saint Joseph's) 7-6 (2), 6-3
6. Oskar Antinheimo (Elon) def. Jakob Gaudreau Barnes (Saint Joseph's) 6-1, 6-2
 
Doubles
1. Veljko Krstic/Nikola Parichkov (Elon) def. No. 70 Othman Bezzaz/Ernesto Ruy (Saint Joseph's) 6-4
2. Jack Curtis/Rafael Ymer (Elon) def. Santiago Valle/Damir Abdusamadov (Saint Joseph's) 6-3
3. Jakob Gaudreau Barnes/Davi Carlos (Saint Joseph's) def. Nick Fisk/Charles Pilet (Elon) 6-2
 
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,6,5,4,1,2)