NEW ORLEANS, La. - The top-seeded Alabama State University men's tennis team claimed their second Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship in the last three years with a 4-0 victory over Jackson State University Sunday afternoon.
 
The Hornets clinched the doubles point after winning at number one with the team of Ion Efrim and Takura Mlambo winning 6-2; before the number three team of Tomas Fernandez and Carl-Louis Luckmann claimed a 6-4 victory.
 
After Alabama State (9-12) went up 1-0, the match went into a lightning delay and the Hornets responded out of the delay with two quick victories at number one and three singles. Mlambo claimed a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Jackson State's Joan Sanson to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead; before Fernandez extended the lead to 3-0 with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Fritz Jacobs.
 
Luckmann clinched the championship for the Hornets when he defeated Ferderico Mendieta 7-5, 6-3 to earn the school's second conference championship in their history, and first since 2015. With the victory, Alabama State completed their undefeated run in conference play this season.
 
The men join the Lady Hornets in winning a conference championship over the weekend in New Orleans, and it is the first time since 2006 that the same university won the titles (Texas Southern). It is also just the seventh time since 1991 that the feat has been accomplished.
 
Fernandez led four Hornets selected All-Tournament, as he was named MVP of the Tournament after winning all three of his matches during the tournament. He was joined on the All-Tournament team by Luckmann (3-0), Szabin Pusztay (2-0) and Karlo Skvorc (2-0) for the Hornets.
 
Anuk Christiansz was named the SWAC Coach of the Year after leading Alabama State to their second conference championship in three years, and it was the second honor of the weekend for the leader of Alabama State tennis.
 
The championship is the eighth team championship won by the Alabama State athletic department this academic year.

Alabama State 4, Jackson State 0
 
Singles
Takura Mlambo (ALST) def. Joan Sanson (JKST) 6-2, 6-1
Ion Efrim (ALST) vs. Andrey Alawi (JKST) 6-3, 3-1 (dnf)
Tomas Fernandez (ALST) def. Fritz Jacobs (JKST) 6-1, 6-1
Carl-Louis Luckmann (ALST) def. Ferderico Mendieta (JKST) 7-5, 6-3
Karlo Skvorc (ALST) vs. Stylianos Gkontsaris (JKST) 6-2, 0-6, 0-1 (dnf)
Digvijay Naruka (ALST) vs. Vishu Prasad (JKST) 2-6, 3-3 (dnf)
 
Doubles
Mlambo/Efrim (ALST) def. Swanier/Jacobs (JKST), 6-2
Alawi/Mendieta (JKST) vs. Skvorc/Naruka (ASU), 5-2 (dnf)
Fernandez/Luckmann (ASU) def. Prasad/Gkontsaris (JKST), 6-4
 
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