MADISON, Wis. – The No. 74 Wisconsin men's tennis team is off to its best over 25 years after Saturday's 7-0 sweep of DePaul at Nielsen Tennis Stadium. The Badgers are now 6-0 on the season, the team's best opening record since going 6-0 in 1990. 

"The wins are a product of the work we're putting in," said first-year head coach Danny Westerman. "Quite frankly, I don't look too much into the wins, and I know it's a cliché, but I just focus about how we're playing. We worked on some very specific things this week and we executed those things today. I think the success is really most rewarding for the players, and that's what I'm most excited about."

Wisconsin jumped ahead early in doubles play, as the duo of senior Jakhongir Jalalov and sophomore Chema Carranza rolled to a 6-1 win over DePaul's Sten Leusink and Nathan de Veer for their sixth straight win as a doubles pairing. The sophomore duo of Josef Dodridge and Lamar Remy clinched the overall doubles point for UW, defeating Paul John and Conor O'Meara, 6-3. 

"They play so well together," Westerman said of the Jalalov/Carranza duo. "They move well together, they know where the other one is, they have great doubles instincts, and they really come out ready to go from the first point. They know their strengths and they really take advantage of them."

In singles action, Remy showed confidence and strength, running away with the No. 3 spot by defeating Nathan de Veer, 6-1, 6-3. Alexander Kokorev followed suit, claiming victory at the No. 2 position with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Alex Galoustian. The senior is now 4-1 on the year.

Sophomore Darius Mackenzie secured the win for the Badgers, defeating Max Renke, 6-4, 6-1.  Dodridge completed the sweep and ran his record to 5-1 on the season with an impressive comeback in the No. 1 spot against Sten Leusink, winning 7-6 (7-3, 7-6 (7-3).

"Joe's a fantastic competitor," said Westerman. "He's very hard on himself in practice every day. I think he battles himself sometimes in a match to get behind early, but he doesn't really go away. He's trying to add more pieces to his game and he's slowly working those in, which is why he's winning a little bit more now."

The Badgers will face their biggest test of the season up next when No. 2 TCU comes to Madison on Friday, February 26. Match time at Nielsen Tennis Stadium is set for 7 p.m. (CT) and admission is free to the public. 

Results - February 13

Men's Singles:
1. Josef Dodridge (UW) def. Sten Leusink (DEPAUL), 7-5 (7-3), 7-5 (7-3)
2. Alexander Kokorev (UW) def. Alex Galoustian (DEPAUL), 6-3, 6-2
3. Lamar Remy (UW) def. Nathan de Veer (DEPAUL), 6-1, 6-3
4. Osgar O'Hoisin (UW) def. Paul John (DEPAUL), 6-3, 7-5
5. Darius Mackenzie (UW) def. Max Renke (DEPAUL), 6-4, 6-1
6. Chema Carranza (UW) def. Conor O'Meara (DEPAUL), 7-6 (6-3), 6-2

Men's Doubles:
1. Dodridge/Remy (UW) def. John/O'Meara (DEPAUL), 6-3
2. Jalalov/Carranza (UW) def. Leusink/de Veer (DEPAUL), 6-1
3. Kokorev/Mackenzie vs. Galoustian/Renke, 5-3 (unfinished)