DURHAM, N.C. – Senior Daniil Gerasimov became the first men's tennis player from North Carolina Central University to win a singles match versus a top-10 team when he beat Josh Levine of No. 6 Duke University on Sunday inside the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center.
 
Gerasimov, a native of Belgorod, Russia, dropped the first set 6-3 to Levine, but then cruised to a 6-1 win in the second set. In the third set super-tiebreaker, the two players battled to a 12-10 decision, with Gerasimov making NCCU tennis history by claiming the No. 2 singles match.
 
NCCU senior Fabrice George nearly tasted victory at No. 6 singles. George lost the first set 6-3 to Duke's Andrew DeJoy, but then won the second set 6-4 to force a third set super-tiebreaker, which DeJoy edged George 10-6.
 
In doubles play, NCCU freshman Kert Kilumets and sophomore William East went toe-to-toe with Duke's Levine and Raphael Hemmeler at the No. 1 position, but the match was stopped with Duke leading 5-4 when the Blue Devils clinched the doubles point.
 
Duke, the sixth-ranked team in the nation, won the match 6-1.  NCCU falls to 0-3, but the Eagles have played three consecutive nationally-ranked ACC opponents – No. 28 North Carolina State, No. 7 North Carolina and No. 6 Duke.
 
Up next, NCCU hosts MEAC foe Hampton University on Friday, Feb. 13 at 3:00 p.m.