The University of Denver men and women’s tennis teams opened their 2009 dual seasons with wins over Eastern Washington and University of Texas-San Antonio this past weekend.

The No. 47-ranked men swept both Eastern Washington and the Air Force Academy at Meadow Creek Tennis Club in Lakewood, Colo., on Friday and at the Academy on Sunday. In the first match, the Denver men won two of three doubles matches to take the doubles point and won all six singles matches against Eastern Washington to claim a 7-0 victory.

On Sunday against the Cadets, the doubles tandems of Martin Zimmerman/Benny Althaus, David Simon/Johan Gunnarsson and Yannick Weish/Ravjot Dhatt each won their matches to take the doubles point. The Denver men also won all six singles matches, with each competitor needing only two sets to put away their Cadet opponent.

“Hopefully, this past weekend gives us momentum for the upcoming National Indoor Kickoff at Pepperdine,” said head coach Danny Westerman. “We’re really looking forward to next week’s challenge.” The Pioneer men’s team returns to action in Pepperdine on Jan. 31.

The No. 28 nationally-ranked lady Pioneers opened their dual season with a convincing 7-0 victory over the University of Texas-San Antonio on Friday. The Pioneers, upholding their highly esteemed reputation, swept all three of their doubles matches and all six of their singles matches in their opener.

After trouncing the University of Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners, the lady Pioneers tennis team headed northeast to College Station where they were narrowly defeated 4-3 by the No. 31 Texas A&M Aggies.

Denver gained a 3-1 lead with singles victories from junior Ute Schnoy and seniors Kyla Iwinski and Mallory Voelker, but the lady Pioneers dropped their next three singles matches against the Aggies. The women won only one of three doubles matches, losing the doubles point to the Aggies.

The Pioneer women’s tennis team returns to the courts next weekend at the ITA National Indoor Team Tournament next weekend in Nashville, Tennesee.