UB's Vodak, Vaghela become program's first doubles team to earn national ranking

In the Fall of 2016, Petr Vodak and Vidit Vaghela transferred to UB.  The two joined the men's tennis team and were paired together for one semester on the court.

"We played probably five or six doubles matches and I think we did pretty good," Vaghela said.

That pairing though took a hiatus as both played with other partners for the next year.

But sometimes, things come full circle.

The two veterans, now seniors, are back playing side by side and it's paid off.

"In the technical aspect, I think we understand each other really well," Vodak said. "Those things, all of them combined, make great results."

Results like a 9-3 record at first doubles and a 12-3 record overall.

The two have been making noise not just in the Mid-American Conference but in the world of Division-I tennis. Their record and hard work has earned them a national ranking, the first time a doubles pair on the UB men's tennis team has ever made the list.

"It's a great feeling to be the first of course," Vodak said. "Our game styles compliment each other. He's (Vaghela) aggressive at the net, I'm good from the baseline, serving well, and getting a lot of balls back."

As of the latest ranking released Tuesday, April 10th, Vaghela and Vodak were ranked 71st and were the only MAC team to receive national recognition.

The pair know they have something special when it comes to their chemistry on the court and while they enjoy being the first to put UB on the map, they're hoping they're certainly not the last.

"I hope this keeps going on," Vaghela said about national rankings. "Instead of one, I hope we all have all the teams and double pairs and all the guys ranked and we can get in the national ranking on a consistent basis."

The UB men's tennis team is back in action on Sunday, April 15th when the Bulls host Western Michigan.