DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle men's tennis team opened its 2021 season with a 5-2 Sunshine State Conference win over Palm Beach Atlantic, Wednesday at the Crotty Tennis Complex. Ranked No. 24 in the ITA/NCAA II preseason poll, the Eagles are 1-0 on the year, while the Sailfish fall to 0-2.
 
Doubles play yielded sweep for the Blue and Gold to give the home team a 1-0 advantage heading into singles. The Eagles' top-flight team of Juan Ortiz Couder and Andres Donayre registered the first win with a 6-4 defeat of Erik Carlsten and Rodolfo Hasegawa. Fernando Alonso and Alvaro Diaz Rodrigo bested Philipp Hoffman and Blake Williams by the same score, and Alexis Guedy and Lucas Bos held off Jorge Santamaria and Umberti Rosi 7-6 (3) to complete the sweep.
 
The Eagles won their next point at No. 2 singles where Donayre took the first set 6-2 and was ahead 1-0 in the second when his opponent, Rosi, was forced to retire. Juan Ortiz Couder was next off the court as he notched a straight-set victory (6-2, 6-4) over Carlsten at the top spot.
 
The match at No. 4 singles also went to ERAU as Guedy bested Santamaria 6-3, 6-1 to score the clincher for the Blue and Gold. 
 
The Sailfish were able to get two points back as Hoffman outlasted Bos 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-0 on court four and Hasegawa topped Diaz Rodrigo 6-7 (4), 6-3, 10-6 on court six. 
 
The Eagles' final point of the day came at the fifth position, where Alonso downed Luis Platas in another three-setter, 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-3.
 
The Eagles play their first road match of the year on Saturday when they tavel to Miami Shores for a 2 p.m. tilt against Barry.

The 2021 ERAU Men's Tennis season is presented by Marco's Pizza.