Despite playing singles much of the year, Menlo School seniors players Vikram Chari and Gunther Matta made a formidable team as they won the doubles title at the Central Coast Section Individual Tournament that wrapped up Wednesday at Imperial Courts in Aptos.
Just days after the Knights secured their seventh consecutive CCS team title, the top-seeded Matta and Chari added another title by defeating No. 2 seed Ajai Shekara and Issa Yoshida of Westmont, 7-5, 6-1, in the final.
It’s the first section doubles title for Menlo since 2010.
In the semifinals, Matta and Chari worked past Lynbrook’s unseeded team of Satyojit Simhadri and Matthew Ma, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, who had earlier upended St. Ignatius’ No. 3-seeded team.
Matta and Chari defeated Aragon’s Matt Fowler and Landers Ngirchemat, 6-0, 6-4, in the Round of 16 Tuesday. In the quarterfinals following, Menlo’s duo beat Santa Cruz’s Ryan Harlan and Will Tierney, 6-1, 6-1.
Menlo’s Dylan Pace and Kylee Santos lost to St. Francis’ No. 4 seeded team of Erik Ratta and Matt Tripaldi in the first round.
Pinewood senior Gabe Owens fell in the singles semifinals, 7-5, 6-1, to No. 3 seed Andrew Ton of Bellarmine. Ton went on to win the title.
There will be little for Chari and Matta, who will join their teammates on Friday for the CIF NorCal Championships at Natomas Racquet Club near Sacramento. The Knights (25-1) will play a second-round match at 1 p.m., most likely against Lowell of San Francisco.
CCS team runner-up Bellarmine has pulled out of the NorCal event due to having graduation ceremonies Saturday morning.
By Menlo School Athletics/Palo Alto Online Sports
By Menlo School Athletics/Palo Alto Online Sports
By Menlo School Athletics/Palo Alto Online Sports