LYNCHBURG, Va. – William & Mary men's tennis opened the 2022 season with a setback at Liberty, 7-0, on Wednesday evening.
 
The Flames (1-1) took the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3. Liberty's Deji Thomas-Smith and Christiaan Worst won the final four games at the top spot to give the home team a 1-0 lead.
 
In singles, Liberty won five of six singles matches in straight sets. Following wins on lines six and one, Rafael Marques Da Silva clinched the match for the Flames with a 6-2, 6-3 win over graduate student Sebastian Quiros.
 
Senior Jack Kelly turned in a strong performance at the No. 4 singles post. After missing all last season due to injury, Kelly pushed Liberty's Christiaan Worst to three-set. The Flame player won the opening set, 7-5, before the Tribe senior answered with a 6-4 victory in the second. Worst outlasted Kelly in a tight third-set super tiebreaker, 11-9.
 
Up Next
The Tribe hits the road to take part in the ITA Kick-off Weekend in Waco, Texas, Jan. 30-31. W&M opens with No. 2 ranked Baylor on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET before facing off with either Clemson or Miami (Fla.) in the second match on Monday.
 
Liberty 7, William & Mary 0
Singles
No. 1 – Nicaise Muamba (Liberty) def. George Davis (W&M) – 6-2, 6-3
No. 2 – Josh Wilson (Liberty) def. Harrison Brown (W&M) – 7-6 (5), 6-2
No. 3 – Rafael Marques Da Silva (Liberty) def. Sebastian Quiros (W&M) – 6-2, 6-3
No. 4 – Christiaan Worst (Liberty) def. Jack Kelly (W&M) – 7-5, 4-6, 11-9
No. 5 – Deji Thomas-Smith (Liberty) def. Joseph Brailovsky (W&M) – 6-4, 6-2
No. 6 – Thando Longwe-Smit (Liberty) def. Sean Joseph (W&M) – 6-1, 6-2
Finishing Order: 6, 1, 3*, 5, 2, 4
 
Doubles
No. 1 – Brown/Davis (W&M) def. Thomas-Smith/Worst (Liberty) – 6-3
No. 2 – Brailovsky/Ruo (W&M) vs. Muamba/Marques Da Silva (Liberty) – DNF, 3-4
No. 3 – Wilson/Ferreira (Liberty) def. Talcott/Pellerito (W&M) – 6-2
Finishing Order: 3, 1*