BERKELEY - Five members of the California men's tennis team recorded singles victories on the first day of the ITA West Sectionals on Thursday at the Hellman Tennis Complex. 

Junior Timofey Stepanov recorded Cal's first win of the day, upsetting 57th-ranked and fifth-seeded Vlad Breazu of Oregon, 6-7, 6-2, 6-2. Sophomore Bernardo Munk Mesa joined Stepanov in the win column, defeating UC Irvine's Tal Goodman 3-6, 6-1, 7-5. Both Golden Bears moved on to the Round of 16 on Friday.

In the second session of singles play, senior Tiago Silva defeated Arizona State's Jelani Sarr 6-4, 7-6 and will face former Golden Bear Alex Chang in the Round of 16. On Court 1, freshman Winston Lee defeated UCLA's Gianluca Ballotta 7-5, 7-5 to also move on to the Round of 16. 

In the last session of singles Thursday, sophomore Paris Pouatcha defeated second-seeded and 102nd ranked Lasse Poertner of Pepperdine, 6-2, 6-4. 

The Golden Bears dropped a couple of doubles matches in the Round of 16 on Thursday. On Court 1, Munk Mesa and Pouatcha lost to Pepperdine's Gustavo Ribeiro de Almeida and Lasse Poertner [2] 6-4, 3-6, 10-7. On Court 2, UCSB's Lucca Liu and Diogo Morais defeated Lee and  Fryderyk Lechno-Wasiutynsk 6-4, 7-6. Both pairs will play doubles consolation matches Friday. 


ITA West Sectional Championships – Cal Results
Nov. 6, 2024, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
Singles Round of 32
Timofey Stepanov (Cal) def. Vlad Breazu (Oregon) [5] 6-7, 6-2, 6-2
Bernardo Munk Mesa (Cal) def. Tal Goodman (UC Irvine) 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
Tiago Silva (Cal) def. Jelani Sarr (Arizona State) 6-4, 7-6
Winston Lee (Cal) def. Gianluca Ballotta (UCLA) 7-5, 7-5
Paris Pouatcha (Cal) def. Lasse Poertner (Pepperdine) [2] 6-2, 6-4

Doubles Round of 16
Gustavo Ribeiro de Almeida/Lasse Poertner (Pepperdine) [2] def. Bernardo Munk Mesa/Paris Pouatcha (Cal) 6-4, 3-6, 10-7
Lucca Liu/Diogo Morais (UCSB) def. Fryderyk Lechno-Wasiutynski/Winston Lee (Cal) 6-4, 7-6