STILLWATER, Okla.— Oklahoma State's men's tennis team started its season on the right foot Saturday, notching back-to-back 7-0 match victories over UT Rio Grande Valley in its season-opening doubleheader.
Saturday marked the Cowboys’ 16th and 17th consecutive opening-day wins, respectively.
Oklahoma State vs. UT Rio Grande Valley – Match 1
 
In its 1 p.m. opener, Oklahoma State started on a high note in doubles play as Isaac Becroft and Tyler Zink clipped Borna Devald and Emilien Burnel en route to a 6-1 victory on court one.
Court two action saw Alessio Basile and Francisco Pini battle it out with Sam Whitehead and Karlo Krolo. A two-game surge from Whitehead and Krolo pushed the Vaqueros to a 6-4 victory.
In a decisive court three meeting, Leighton Allen and Carl Roothman routed Te Kani Williams and Chris Lawrence, 6-4, netting the Cowboys a 1-0 advantage leading into singles play.
The momentum continued into singles as all six Cowboys in Tyler Zink, Francisco Pini, Isaac Becroft, Alessio Basile, Leighton Allen and Carl Roothman swept the Vaqueros in the opening set of singles play, creating room for some second-set triumphs.
 
Alessio Basile was first to record a singles points for the Pokes, netting a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Sam Whitehead to extend the lead to 2-0.
 
Oklahoma State kept on the gas in singles as Leighton Allen trumped Agustin Salazar, 6-1, 6-3, while Tyler Zink defeated Emilien Burnel on court one, 6-3, 6-2, to secure the match.
 
The Cowboys completed their singles sweep as Carl Roothman defeated Chris Lawrence, 6-1, 6-3. Francisco Pini trumped Karlo Krolo, 6-3, 6-4.
 
Isaac Becroft received a victory via retirement over Te Kani Williams. Becroft led the singles match 6-2, 2-0, before Williams left the contest due to injury. 
  
Oklahoma State completed the contest going a perfect 11-0 in singles sets (12-0 when including Becroft’s 2-0 set) and 2-1 in doubles play. 
 
Oklahoma State vs. UT Rio Grande Valley – Match 2
 
Fatigue was not a factor during the back end of the contest as Alessio Basile and Francisco Pini defeated Chris Lawrence and Agustin Salazar to begin doubles play, 6-1.
 
Isaac Becroft and Tyler Zink rekindled their doubles success, defeating Sam Whitehead and Karlo Krolo, 6-2, shortly thereafter to stake the Cowboys to a 1-0 lead. 
Leighton Allen and Carl Roothman were pitted in a 2-4 hole versus Borna Devald and Emilien Burnel in their doubles match. The pair made a valiant comeback effort, moving the set to 4-5, holding a chance to tie the set at 40-40. However, a Vaqueros point scrubbed a doubles sweep.  
Zink took down Devald on court one, 6-0, 6-1, to kick off singles play for the Cowboys. 
 
Basile defeated Krolo, 6-2, 6-0, to make the OSU advantage 3-0. Basile went a combined 24-4 in singles games during Saturday’s doubleheader.
 
Becroft notched the match-winning point for the Pokes, ousting Whitehead, 6-1, 6-2.
 
Allen secured a back-and-forth bout with Lawrence with a 6-1, 6-2 victory, while Pini silenced a late comeback from Burnel, tacking on a 6-1, 6-4 victory.
 
Roothman closed the night out for the Cowboys, getting by Salazar, 6-2, 6-2, to punctuate his collegiate debut.
 
Oklahoma State will take a week-long break before returning home to face Lamar on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 11 a.m.
 
For season-long coverage of Cowboy Tennis, visit okstate.com and follow @cowboytennis on Twitter and Instagram.
 
Match One Singles Competition:
1. Tyler Zink (OSU) def. Emilien Burnel (UTRGV) 6-3, 6-2 
2. Francisco Pini (OSU) def. Karlo Krolo (UTRGV) 6-3, 6-4 
3. Isaac Becroft (OSU) def. Te Kani Williams (UTRGV) 6-2, 2-0, retired 
4. Alessio Basile (OSU) def. Sam Whitehead (UTRGV) 6-1, 6-3 
5. Leighton Allen (OSU) def. Agustin Salazar (UTRGV) 6-1, 6-3 
6. Carl Roothman (OSU) def. Chris Lawrance (UTRGV) 6-1, 6-3 
 
Match One Doubles Competition:
1. Isaac Becroft/Tyler Zink (OSU) def. Borna Devald/Emilien Burnel (UTRGV) 6-1 
2. Sam Whitehead/Karlo Krolo (UTRGV) def. Alessio Basile/Francisco Pini (OSU) 6-4 
3. Leighton Allen/Carl Roothman (OSU) def. Te Kani Williams/Chris Lawrance (UTRGV) 6-4 
 
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,5,1,6,2,3)
Match Two Singles Competition:
1. Tyler Zink (MOSU) def. Borna Devald (MUTRGV) 6-0, 6-1
2. Francisco Pini (MOSU) def. Emilien Burnel (MUTRGV) 6-1, 6-4
3. Isaac Becroft (MOSU) def. Sam Whitehead (MUTRGV)6-1, 6-2
4.Alessio Basile (MOSU) def. Karlo Krolo (MUTRGV) 6-2, 6-0
5.Leighton Allen (MOSU) def. Chris Lawrance (MUTRGV) 6-1, 6-2
6. Carl Roothman (MOSU) def. Agustin Salazar (MUTRGV) 6-2, 6-2
 
Match Two Doubles Competition:
1. Isaac Becroft/Tyler Zink (MOSU) def. Sam Whitehead/Karlo Krolo (MUTRGV) 6-2
2. Alessio Basile/Francisco Pini (MOSU) def. Chris Lawrance/Agustin Salazar (MUTRGV) 6-1
3. Borna Devald/Emilien Burnel (MUTRGV) def. Leighton Allen/Carl Roothman (MOSU) 6-4
 
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,4,3,5,2,6)