In a battle between two of college tennis’ premier programs, No. 1 Virginia saw its perfect ACC record come to an end on Sunday afternoon, falling 4-2 to No. 4 Wake Forest at the Wake Forest Tennis Center. The loss marked the Cavaliers’ (15-3, 7-1 ACC) first defeat in conference play this season and served as a reminder that even the nation’s top-ranked team can be tested by one of its biggest rivals.
The matchup carried added weight beyond rankings. Just days after flipping the script against NC State, Virginia entered Winston-Salem, N.C., with both momentum and history in tow. Last season, Wake Forest (23-2, 8-0) proved to be a difficult hurdle in dual play, defeating Virginia during the regular season. However, the Cavaliers delivered one of the biggest wins of the year in the ACC Tournament, handing the Demon Deacons their only loss of the season and ending a 34-match unbeaten streak.
However, Sunday’s result flipped the script once again, with Wake Forest breaking the Cavaliers’ unbeaten ACC run and reclaiming momentum in the rivalry.
From the opening point, the Demon Deacons established control of the dual.
Virginia, which had relied on strong doubles performances in recent matches and solidified their pairings and lineups early in the season, was completely outplayed across Lines 2 and 3. On Court 2, Wake Forest’s unranked pairing of junior Luca Pow and sophomore Charlie Robertson overwhelmed No. 31 sophomore Jangjun Kim and senior Mans Dahlberg 6-1, using aggressive returning and quick net finishes to keep the Cavaliers on their heels.
Moments later, Wake Forest freshman Mees Rottgering and sophomore Kacper Szymkowiak mirrored that dominance on Court 3, defeating freshman Andres Santamarta Roig and sophomore Keegan Rice 6-1. The lopsided results sealed the doubles point before Virginia could gain traction.
On Court 1, the top-15 showdown between No. 5 pairing of freshman Andrew Delgado and senior DK Suresh Ekambaram against No. 11 junior Dylan Dietrich and sophomore Stiles Brockett was left unfinished at 4-2, but the damage had already been done — the Demon Deacons having struck first and taken the first point.
Despite the early setback, Virginia attempted to respond in singles, pushing multiple matches to tight margins in the first set.
On Court 1, No. 2 Dietrich once again proved why he is among the nation’s elite, and why his matchup on the day was highlighted as one of the biggest of the season. Facing No. 21 Suresh Ekambram, Dietrich played high-percentage tennis, dictating points from the baseline with heavy forehands and limiting unforced errors. Rather than hitting only strong shots, Dietrich leaned into consistency, constructing points before stepping inside the baseline to finish. His serve was also particularly effective in key moments. The result was a 6-3, 6-4 victory, and the first singles match to finish on the day. Dietrich’s efficient, straight-set win not only put Virginia on the board but also affirmed his ranking and status as one of the best players in NCAA tennis.
On Court 3, No. 20 Pow defeated No. 110 Kim 7-5, 6-3 in a match defined by long rallies and consistent pressure from the Wake Forest junior. Pow consistently played with depth and margin, forcing Kim to hit extra balls and defend behind the baseline. Kim showed flashes of creativity, mixing in slices and changing pace to disrupt rhythm, but Pow made it difficult to sustain momentum. The first was especially tight, with Kim staying within reach, but a late break at 5-5 gave Pow the edge. From there, Pow continued to absorb and redirect pace while capitalizing on shorter balls. While Kim remained competitive throughout, he struggled to convert key opportunities.
Court 5 saw another close battle, as Wake Forest’s No. 65 sophomore Joaquin Guilleme topped Dahlberg 6-1, 7-6(2). Guilleme came out aggressively early on, taking time away from Dahlberg, which allowed him to dictate points and jump out to a quick lead. Dahlberg struggled initially to find his rhythm, particularly in longer exchanges. As the match progressed, however, Dahlberg adjusted well. He began extending rallies and mixing in more variety to disrupt Guilleme's tempo. That shift helped him settle into service games and create more opportunities, eventually forcing a second set tiebreak. But even as Dahlberg raised his level, Guilleme remained consistent, playing clean tennis to close out the match and take a 3-1 lead for the Demon Deacons.
The Cavaliers were able to cut the margin on Court 4, where No. 42 Santamarta Roig delivered another solid and energetic performance, defeating Robertson 7-6 (5), 6-1. After a tightly contested first set, Santamarta Roig elevated his level, dictating play with heavy groundstrokes and taking initiative on key points rather than playing passively. That confidence carried into the second set, where Santamarta Roig’s level noticeably rose. He began hitting better groundstrokes, particularly on the forehand side, pushing Robertson back and opening up the court. As errors began to come more frequently from the Wake Forest side, Santamarta Roig maintained his intensity and closed out the match decisively, adding another point for Virginia.
But beyond these two points, Wake Forest’s depth once again proved itself, leaving Virginia unable to climb out of the deficit.
On Court 6, Wake Forest freshman Dominick Mosejczuk defeated Brockett 7-5, 7-5 in one of the tightest matches of the day. Back in the lineup after sitting out the previous match, Brockett delivered a competitive performance as both players were trading momentum throughout. Brockett did well to stay engaged in long baseline exchanges, but Mosejczuk was slightly more efficient in key moments. In both sets, Brockett pushed to deuce games late and had chances to swing the momentum, but Mosejczuk elevated his level when it mattered most. That ability to execute under pressure made the difference, as Wake Forest capitalized on narrow margins to take both sets, and take the match.
Only one match remained unfinished at the time, including a high-level battle on Court 2 between No. 12 Rice and No. 47 Rottgering, which the Demon Deacon led 7-5, 3-5 The match featured extended rallies and high-quality shot making from both sides.
For Virginia, the loss served as a slight setback, but also as a measuring stick.
The Cavaliers entered the match as the No. 1 team in the nation, anchored by one of the country’s top players in Dietrich. But Wake Forest, a program that has consistently challenged Virginia and is coming off a team national championship last spring, once again demonstrated its ability to expose small margins and turn them into match-deciding moments.
More than anything, the result reinforced the standard at the top of the sport. For a Virginia team with championship aspirations, matches like this in the middle of conference play are valuable reminders of what is required to win in May.
Virginia will look to regroup as it returns to the road next weekend, facing No. 47 Florida State on Friday and No. 54 Miami on Sunday.
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