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The Daily Tar Heel

BUSINESS AS USUAL

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The University of North Carolina Tar Heels took on the University of North Carolina-Charlotte Forty Niners on Sunday, January 23.

North Carolina men’s tennis began its regular season like a top FBS football team: by scheduling and beating a cupcake opponent.

The No. 20 Tar Heels did not lose a set against UNC-Charlotte on Sunday, easily winning 7-0 in their first team match of the 2011 season.

“It was just business as usual,” assistant coach Tripp Phillips said. “There were a lot of positives across the board. There was a little rust on both sides, but we did a good job of getting some early leads and then not taking our foot off the gas.”

The 49ers presented little challenge for North Carolina, even though UNC rested its second-highest-ranked player, No. 58 junior transfer Joey Burkhardt.

The Tar Heels swept the three doubles matches behind more strong play from sophomore Jose Hernandez and junior Brennan Boyajian, who won the doubles draw of the National Collegiate Tennis Classic last weekend.

Hernandez played with Burkhardt during the preseason, and the two played well enough to earn a No. 31 national ranking. But Hernandez had no problem winning with Boyajian, as the pair won their match 8-4.

Hernandez led the way for the Tar Heels in singles at the No. 1 flight, winning the first singles match of the day. He dropped just one game against Charlotte’s Charles Martin-Lecamp, winning 6-0, 6-1.

Hernandez said he had no problems against his opponent, even when Lecamp won his first game down 5-0 in the second set.

“I was punishing his backhand with my deep forehand,” Hernandez said. “I knew he was forcing shots. In his mind it was, ‘Okay, I’m losing anyway, let’s give it a try.’ And it worked for him, but I knew I had my serve in the next game and I was positive that I was going to close the match.”

Hernandez was playing at the top flight for the second time in his career. He played at No. 2 almost all of last season behind Clay Donato, only playing at No. 1 when Donato was rested in a match against Navy.

Boyajian, redshirt senior Kyle Baker and sophomore William Parker also lost just one game each in their singles matches.

Senior Stefan Hardy, who returned to play against the 49ers after sitting out last weekend’s UNC Invitational to recover from a knee injury, won almost as easily. He beat Charlotte’s Krzysztof Kwasniewicz 6-0, 6-2.

Hardy said his knee was back to almost 100 percent and barely affected him during his matches.

Phillips said that he was impressed with his team even though they could have played sharper tennis.

“I don’t think too many teams in any sport are going to peak in the first match after an off-season,” Phillips said. “The guys competed really well and played very good matches, even though I think we’re certainly a couple of months away from playing our best tennis.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.

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