Dylan Walters ’24 was named the University Athletic Association Player of the Week on Tuesday, March 28. This recognition comes after a weekend of success as the men’s team played Rochester and Skidmore at home.
Walters won alongside Tommy Harrison ’26 at first doubles 8-4, and 6-3, 6-4 in first singles, two wins among eight against Rochester. After sweeping the doubles matches, the Judges eked out two close matches in singles. Harrison came back from a set down at second to win 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. Simon Kauppila ’23 won 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 at third. The only Brandeis loss came at sixth singles where Aryan Nijhawan ’25 went down 1-6, 3-6.
The following day, the men were back in action against the 30th ranked Skidmore. During their 7-2 win, Brandeis won all three doubles matches. The closest came from Kauppila and Hunter Levine ’23 at second doubles. After tying up the match at seven games apiece, the win came in a tight 8-6 tiebreaker.
In singles, Alex Merson ’26 lost in fourth singles in a super-tiebreaker after splitting sets. The final score was 6-4, 3-6, 7-10.
On the women’s side, the Judges had mixed results. Rebecca Suarez ’26 played in two close matches during a 0-9 loss to Wesleyan. In first doubles, she and Ella Chase ’26 lost 7-8 (1-7). In first singles, Suarez lost in a tight super-tiebreaker 6-3, 2-6, 8-10.
In their 7-2 win against Rochester, the women’s team won all the doubles matches yet again. The closest matches came at third and fifth singles. Anastasia Sia ’25 won 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, and Jiayi Zhang ’24 lost 2-6, 6-1, 7-10.
In their final match of the week against Skidmore, the women lost with a tight 4-5 head-to-head score bringing them to an overall 6-5 season record so far. It doesn’t get much closer than Suarez’s win at first singles. She won in three tight sets 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (9-7). Other tight matches include Phoebe Tamaoki ’26, who won at third singles 6-2, 1-6, 6-2, and Sia, who lost at fourth singles 6-3, 4-6, 5-7.
The men’s team continues their season in their next match at home on Friday while the women are back at it on Thursday. Each team is playing Babson College.
