Following our daily coverage of three youngsters representing Bermuda in the Junior Davis Cup, we turn to Bermudian tennis star Daniel Phillips who experienced a bittersweet reunion with his former teammates as Tulane University suffered a 4–1 defeat at the hands of Arizona State University.
The encounter provided a high-profile stage for Phillips to test himself against familiar faces, though the Sun Devils ultimately proved too strong for the Green Wave in the singles rubbers.
The afternoon began with a significant bright spot for the visitors during the doubles session. Phillips, partnered with Lance Nisbet, demonstrated exceptional chemistry and tactical awareness to secure Tulane’s solitary point of the match. Facing off against the pairing of Bor Artnak and Shu Matsuoka, the Phillips-Nisbet duo remained composed under pressure to claim a clinical 6–4 victory.
However, the momentum shifted as the contest moved into the singles flight. Phillips was handed the daunting task of competing in the number one singles spot, where he faced a rematch against Artnak. The Arizona State representative entered the match with a formidable pedigree, currently holding a world ranking of 473 and having climbed as high as 373 in the global standings.
The match was a showcase of high-quality baseline exchanges, with Phillips matching his opponent's power for much of the opening set. Despite several flashes of brilliance from the Bermudian, Artnak’s professional experience proved decisive at the tail end of both sets. A pair of 6–4 results for the Slovenian international ensured Arizona State took the point and set the tone for the remainder of the afternoon, as the Sun Devils swept the remaining singles matches to close out the victory.
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