STANFORD, Calif. – Cal men's tennis won the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead over Stanford on Sunday, but the No. 40 Golden Bears ultimately lost to the sixth-ranked Cardinal, 4-2, in the Big Slam at the Taube Family Tennis Center. Stanford clinched the victory when the 31st-ranked Sameer Kumar beat Cal freshman Yuta Kikuchi, 6-2, 6-4, at court-three singles.
 
Cal's record fell to 2-4 after the nonconference match, while Stanford improved to 9-2.
 
The Bears will host Stanford in the second match of the Big Slam on April 13 in Berkeley.
 
On Sunday, Cal started off strong. The 13th-ranked pair of Kikuchi and Jacob Brumm posted a 6-3 win over Kumar and Timothy Sah at court-one doubles, though Cal's 42nd-ranked duo of Jack Molloy and Mert Zincirli lost a close match to Jack Barber and William Genesen, 7-5, on court three. The Bears clinched the doubles point when the 31st-ranked Paul Barretto and Can Kaya edged Axel Geller and Michael Genender, 7-6(5).
 
But the Cardinal reeled off three straight wins in singles to take a 3-1 lead, before Molloy's 6-4, 6-4 victory over Sah on court four stemmed the tide. Cal sophomore Ben Draper was trailing Jack Barber on court six, 3-6, 5-4, when the court-three result ended the match.
 
"We played another incredible doubles match today," said Director of Cal Men's Tennis Peter Wright. "Our energy and focus have helped us win every doubles point we've played this year. Unfortunately, we came out flat in singles. We fought to get ourselves back into the match, but we still have a lot of progress to make in terms of our mental approach to singles.
 
"Our guys know how good we are in doubles, and they believe we should be successful every time. Some of our guys are still building that same confidence in singles, and I'm fully confident that once we collectively embrace the talent and determination this team possesses, we will walk with the same swagger in singles as we do in doubles."
 
Cal next plays in La Jolla, California, as the Bears take on Oklahoma State and start the Pacific Coast Doubles Championships on Thursday.
 
No. 6/6 Stanford (9-2) defeated No. 40 Cal (2-4), 4-2
Feb. 24, 2019, in Stanford, Calif.
Taube Family Tennis Center
 
Doubles
1. No. 13 Jacob Brumm/Yuta Kikuchi (Cal) def. Sameer Kumar/Timothy Sah (Stanford), 6-3
2. No. 31 Paul Barretto/Can Kaya (Cal) def. Axel Geller/Michael Genender (Stanford), 7-6 (5)
3. Jack Barber/William Genesen (Stanford) def. No. 42 Jack Molloy/Mert Zincirli (Cal), 7-5
 
Cal won the doubles point
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2*
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. No. 13 Axel Geller (Stanford) def. Jacob Brumm (Cal), 6-1, 6-0
2. No. 60 William Genesen (Stanford) def. Paul Barretto (Cal), 6-0, 6-3
3. No. 31 Sameer Kumar (Stanford) def. Yuta Kikuchi (Cal), 6-2, 6-4
4. Jack Molloy (Cal) def. Timothy Sah (Stanford), 6-4, 6-4
5. Michael Genender (Stanford) def. Bjorn Hoffmann (Cal), 6-1, 6-3
6. Jack Barber (Stanford) vs. Ben Draper (Cal), 6-3, 4-5, Unfinished

Order of Finish: 1, 2, 5, 4, 3^
^Clinched the overall match