KAILUA, Hawai'i – The ninth ranked Hawai'i Pacific University men opened the season with a bang, handing 12th ranked Azusa Pacific a 6-1 loss in the Hawai'i Invitational on Friday at the Kailua Racquet Club.
 
The Sharks (1-0) dispatched the Cougars (2-1) by claiming the doubles point and taking the top five singles positions in officially opening the 2022 season.
 
HPU claimed the doubles point with Jan Pleva and Jordi Walder beating Ryan Nuno and Leyton Bohren 6-3 at No. 1, then using the No. 2 team of Jakub Beran and Robin Sanz to down Elias Walter and Miha Velicki 6-3. APU did take the set at No. 3 with Ivan Hornung and Sam Sippel beating Jan Heine and Benjamin Loccisano 6-4.
 
The Sharks rolled in the singles competition, led by Walder ripped 13th ranked Nuno 6-4, 6-4 at No. 1. Pleva beat Sippel 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 and Sanz won at No. 3 over 39th ranked Walter 5-7, 6-4, 6-1. HPU claimed the No. 4 and No. 5 in three sets. Beran won over Bohren 6-3, 5-7, 3-2 when Bohren retired at No. 4, with Loccisano beating Velicki 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 at No. 5. APU took its only point at No. 6 singles where Hornung bettered Heine 7-6, 6-2.
 
The tournament continues on Saturday with the Sharks playing two matches. HPU meets Biola at 9 a.m., then comes back to host No. 17 Concordia (Calif.) at 5 p.m. Both matches are at the Kailua Racquet Club.