UT men's tennis team ties team record with another shutout

Tennessee's men's tennis team tied a school record with its fifth consecutive shutout to start a season with a 7-0 victory over Middle Tennessee State on Wednesday at Goodfriend Tennis Center.

UT had not recorded five shutouts in a row since the 1964 season, in which coach Tommy Bartlett led the Vols to a 13-1 record.

Junior Matteo Fago and freshman Tennys Sandgren, playing together for just the second time in doubles, cruised to an 8-1 win for the No. 5 Vols.

Senior Davey Sandgren and junior John-Patrick Smith clinched the doubles point a few minutes later with an 8-2 win.

With the victory, Sandgren and Smith moved alone into third on the Vols' career doubles wins list with 56 wins.

At No. 1 singles, John-Patrick Smith defeated No. 105 John Peers 6-1, 6-1. Smith now has 12 wins over ranked opponents this year.

The win was the 91st of the junior's career, moving him into a tie with Paul Podbury for ninth on the UT's list.

Senior Matt Brewer of Knoxville clinched the match for Tennessee with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Shaun Waters in the fifth position.

Other singles winners for UT were Matteo Fago at No. 6 by retirement midway through the second set with Alex McCann; Boris Conkic at No. 2 over Victor Melo, 6-4, 6-2; Knoxville's Rhyne Williams at No. 3 over Richard Cowden, 6-2, 6-4 and Tennys Sandgren at No. 4 over Matthew Langley, 6-2, 6-3.