Durham, N.C. -- In its first Atlantic Coast Conference match of the 2026 season, the California Golden Bears (7-5) fell to the Duke Blue Devils (6-5), 4-2, in Durham on Friday.

To begin the day, Cal picked up a 6-3 doubles win on court three by Fryderyk Lechno Wasiutynski and Paris Pouatcha. Then, on court two, the duo of Timofey Stepanov and Alex Aney clinched the doubles point for the Bears and the crew carried a 1-0 lead into singles play.

In singles play, Cal picked up a 6-4, 6-2 court four victory by Bernardo Munk Mesa but fell on courts one, two, three and five to the Blue Devils.

Singles

1. Rodenas def. Lechno Wasiutynski - 5-7, 5-7 (clinch)

2. Williams def. Stepanov - 4-6, 2-6

3. Planelles Ripoll def. Silva - 4-6, 4-6

4. Munk Mesa def. Visser - 6-4, 6-2

5. Long def. Luemkemann - 3-6, 3-6 

6. Pouatcha vs. Jayaraman - 7-5, 4-4 (UF)

Doubles

1. Williams/Rodenas def. Silva/Luemkemann - 2-6 

2. Stepanov/Aney def. Planelles Ripoll/Long - 6-3 (clinch)

3. Lechno Wasiutynski/Pouatcha def. Truwit/Visser - 6-3

Order of Completion:
Singles: 5, 2, 4, 3, 1
Doubles: 1, 3, 2

Up Next:
The Golden Bears will travel eight miles to face the North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill on Sunday with play set to begin at 9 a.m.