JACKSONVILLE – Xavier Sarda Marti scored a thrilling match-clinching victory on Wednesday afternoon in a 4-3 win over Mercer for Jacksonville State men's tennis. With the match tied 3-3, the freshman from Spain survived a 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, marathon on court one to put the Gamecocks back in the win column. 
 
Sarda Marti was not the only standout from that non-conference triumph over the Bears (6-7). Vicente Arbelaez, Vanja Dobrnjac, and Matei Palcau also earned singles victories for Jax State (7-6) in a massive win at the JSU Tennis Courts. 
 
"This was a heck of a tennis match," associate head coach Trey Morris said. "As a staff, we challenged our guys to step up after the doubles point, and they did just that. We had two guys in Matei and Vicente who took care of business quickly and gave the opportunity for Xavi and Vanja to come back.
 
"While I'm beyond proud of the way our guys competed, there are a lot of things that we need to continue to improve upon," Morris added.
 
Mercer claimed the match's opening point with relative ease thanks to wins on courts one and three. Fortunately for the Red-and-White, they were able to put that in the rearview and bounce-back in singles competition. 
 
Arbelaez (6-3, 6-1) and Palcau (6-2, 6-1) earned decisive wins on courts six and three respectively to give the Gamecocks the advantage before the Bears responded. Consecutive triumphs for the visitors from Macon, Ga., gave them the lead back. Dobrnjac then posted a 6-7 (2-7), 7-5, 6-4, win in the no. 5 singles flight to force a winner-take-all situation on court one, which Sarda Marti won in exhilarating fashion.
 
Wednesday's win marks the second straight in the series for the Gamecocks, who downed Mercer 4-3 in the Peach State in March 2021. 
 
Jacksonville State's men resume non-conference action Sunday in Huntsville at Alabama A&M. That match against the Bulldogs will begin at 1 p.m. Their next home match will be next Wednesday at 1 p.m. versus Radford. 
 
To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, follow their Twitter (@JaxStateTN), Instagram (@JaxStateMTennis), and Facebook (Jacksonville State University Tennis) accounts. 

Tennis Match Results
JSU vs MU
3/1/2023 at Jacksonville, Ala.
JSU 4, MU 3
 
Singles Competition
 

1. Xavier Sarda Marti (JSU) def. Mariano Argote (MU) 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-2), 6-2
2. Nemanja Stefanovic (MU) def. Alin Fatu (JSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
3. Matei Palcau (JSU) def. Lucas Dini (MU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Samuel Macleod (MU) def. Lucius Soller (JSU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Vanja Dobrnjac (JSU) def. Marceau Fouilhoux (MU) 6-7 (2-7), 7-5, 6-4
6. Vicente Arbelaez (JSU) def. Samuel Barrow (MU) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles Competition
 

1. Mariano Argote/Samuel Macleod (MU) def. Vanja Dobrnjac/Lucius Soller (JSU) 6-1
2. Alin Fatu/Xavier Sarda Marti (JSU) vs. Marceau Fouilhoux/Nemanja Stefanovic (MU) 4-4, unfinished
3. Samuel Barrow/Lucas Dini (MU) def. Konstantin Benneman/Logan Haga (JSU) 6-4