DURHAM — The North Carolina-Duke rivalry is always an intense and highly-contested matchup no matter what sport the two schools are playing and demands everything the two teams have.
On Sunday, the No. 5 North Carolina men’s tennis team gave everything it had, crushing the Blue Devils 6-1 at Ambler Tennis Stadium in Durham.
Early on in doubles action, both sides had their fair share of celebratory cries, but the Tar Heels gained the early advantage in the first two doubles matches.
Teammates Anu Kodali and Ronnie Schneider won their match 6-2, while the duo of Brayden Schnur and Jack Murray defeated their counterparts 6-3 to clinch the doubles point for the Tar Heels.
In singles competition, the team continued its early momentum. Robert Kelly and Blaine Boyden made quick work of their opponents and had already won their matches when many of their teammates were just starting the second set.
Not too long after Kelly and Boyden finished, senior Brett Clark won 6-1, 6-0, clinching the victory for the Tar Heels.
Piling onto the victory, Murray beat his opponent 6-3, 6-0, and Schneider won 6-4, 6-3 to extend the lead to 6-0.
Schnur was the lone North Carolina player to lose, falling 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) to put Duke on the scoreboard.
“With Duke it’s a real rivalry, but we respect them. We never take anything for granted against them,” Kelly said. “So this year winning 6-1, it’s not always going to be like that, so we just have to enjoy it and focus on the ACC Tournament because the real rivals this year are Wake (Forest) and Virginia.”
