BERKELEY – Playing in his second-to-last regular-season home match, Yuta Kikuchi clinched the No. 43 California men's tennis team's 4-0 win over 28th-ranked UCLA on Friday evening at the Hellman Tennis Complex. Kikuchi also partnered with Philip Hjorth to clinch the doubles point.
 
The victory snapped a four-match losing streak and improved the Golden Bears' record to 10-7 (2-2 Pac-12). UCLA's record is 9-6 (1-2).
 
"We've played at that level the whole time," said Kris Kwinta, Cal's Peter Wright Director of Men's Tennis. "It just didn't go our way. It's good to see the guys not hanging their heads but getting back to work. They all showed up for a couple of individuals (training sessions) this week…We had the best practices of the season. It's a tough situation that pushed them to try harder and to want it more, which is awesome to see. When our backs are against the wall a little bit after four tough losses, they showed up even more. It's a good characteristic of the team and individuals, and they played like that."
 
Originally scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. PT, the match was delayed by rain and eventually started at 4 p.m.
 
But the weather didn't dampen the Bears' spirits nor affect their usual dominance in doubles. Including the point against the Bruins, Kwinta's team has captured the doubles point in 11 of 15 matches, with Cal's matches against San Francisco and UC Davis not including doubles.
 
Cal's court-one tandem of Siddhant Banthia and Carl Emil Overbeck claimed the day's first win, beating Timothy Li and Giacomo Revelli, 6-1. Hjorth and Kikuchi followed with a 7-5 win over Bruins Jeffrey Fradkin and Aadarsh Tripathi on court three that secured a 1-0 lead for the Bears.
 
Overbeck gave Cal a 2-0 lead when he defeated Tripathi at court-three singles, 6-1, 6-3, and Hjorth made the score 3-0 when he bested Gianluca Balotta, 6-1, 6-2, on court five.
 
With Lucas Magnaudet close to clinching the victory on court six – the Cal junior had a 6-4, 5-3 advantage over Stefan Leustian – Kikuchi completed his match on court one first, beating Patrick Zahraj, 6-4, 6-2.
 
"It's really emotional, to be honest," said Kikuchi of his reaction to wrapping up his penultimate regular-season home match. "I have really good memories on these courts of course. This is my fifth year, and tomorrow is going to be my last match at home. I'll do my best."
 
The Bears end their regular-season home schedule when they host No. 10 USC on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Hellman Tennis Complex. Prior to the match, the Bears will honor Kikuchi, Hjorth and Banthia in a Senior Day ceremony. During the match, Cal will also honor the legacy of late alumnus Jim McManus in the annual McManus Legends Day. As part of McManus Legends Day, Fuddruckers will provide free hamburgers to fans at Hellman while supplies last.
 
No. 43 Cal (10-7, 2-2 Pac-12) 4, No. 28 UCLA (9-6, 1-2 Pac-12) 0
April 7, 2023, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
Doubles
1. Siddhant Banthia/Carl Emil Overbeck (Cal) def. Timothy Li/Giacomo Revelli (UCLA), 6-1
2. No. 60 Ryder Jackson/Lucas Magnaudet (Cal) vs. Stefan Leustian/Patrick Zahraj (UCLA), 6-6 Abandoned
3. Philip Hjorth/Yuta Kikuchi (Cal) def. Jeffrey Fradkin/Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA), 7-5*
 
Order of Finish – 1, 3*
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. No. 37 Yuta Kikuchi (Cal) def. Patrick Zahraj (UCLA), 6-4, 6-2^
2. Ryder Jackson (Cal) vs. Giacomo Revelli (UCLA), 6-4, 4-5 Abandoned
3. Carl Emil Overbeck (Cal) def. Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA), 6-1, 6-3
4. Derrick Chen (Cal) vs. Azuma Visaya (UCLA), 6-3, 2-5 Abandoned
5. Philip Hjorth (Cal) def. Gianluca Balotta (UCLA), 6-1, 6-2
6. Lucas Magnaudet (Cal) vs. Stefan Leustian (UCLA), 6-4, 5-3 Abandoned
 
Order of Finish – 3, 5, 1^
^Clinched the overall win