Grand Canyon's men's tennis team made a valiant effort in the WAC Tournament championship match against UT Arlington, playing for 3 hours and 36 minutes but ultimately falling short with a 4-3 loss at HEB Tennis Center in Texas. Despite the defeat, the Lopes showcased significant progress under second-year head coach Derek Siddiqui, winning nine matches for the first time since 2019 and reaching the final round of the tournament for the third time in program history.

By the Numbers
  • GCU turned a 3-11 record into a 9-13 final mark by winning six of their final eight matches.
  • Junior Jonathan Da Silva won on the fifth court, while sophomore David Wekesa secured his 11th consecutive win on Court 3.
  • Despite needing wins on Courts 2 and 4 for a comeback, GCU fell short as UT Arlington clinched the match.
Yes, But

Grand Canyon faced challenges with dropping the doubles point and losing on Courts 1 and 6, ultimately impacting their chances of victory in the championship match.

State of Play
  • Grand Canyon's men's tennis program under Coach Siddiqui is on an upward trajectory, bidding farewell to key players while aiming to build on the core team for the next season.
  • UT Arlington, the WAC Tournament Champions, faced a tough challenge from GCU compared to their previous dominant performance.
What's Next

Looking ahead, Grand Canyon's men's tennis team will focus on building around key players like Wekesa and Da Silva for a strong run in the upcoming season.

Bottom Line

Despite falling short in the championship match, Grand Canyon's men's tennis team showed marked improvement and resilience under Coach Siddiqui, setting a solid foundation for future success in the 2024-25 season.