Canes Wrap Up Play in South Carolina
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami men’s tennis team wrapped up its three-day competition Sunday in the Palmetto State, with freshman Francisco Bastias leading the way with a trio of singles victories. Hosted by the University of South Carolina, the Gamecock Invitational was played at three different tennis facilities in the Columbia area.
Overall, the Hurricanes finished the weekend with a 9-12 mark in overall matches, posting a 7-9 ledger in singles and a 2-3 record in doubles.
Competing in the Flight A Singles Draw, Bastias picked up a victory in his collegiate debut, defeating SMU’s Tomas Vaise, 6-2, 6-2. The 10th ranked newcomer in the ITA/Oracles Newcomers Rankings collected another straight-set victory, defeating ETSU’s Frazier Rengifo, 7-5, 6-3.
Bastias continued his stretch of winning five-consecutive sets, taking the opening set against Roberts Grinvalds of Georgia State, 6-4. However, Grinvalds came back to steal the victory, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
In the consolation round, Bastias closed out his first collegiate tournament with a straight-set victory over ETSU’s Sergi Fontcuberta, 6-4, 6-3.
Also competing in the Flight A Draw, junior Stephen Madonia and freshmen Kaya Gore and Franco Aubone fell in their respective first round matchups.
Madonia dropped his match against North Carolina’s Josh Peck, 3-6, 2-6, while Aubone lost to South Carolina’s Raphael Lambling, 4-6, 2-6. Gore forced 12 games in the opening set, but ultimately fell, 5-7, 0-6, against the Gamecock’s Daniel Rodriguez.
In the consolation bracket, Madonia advanced to face Georgia Southern’s Antonia Munoz, as the duo battled for three hard-fought sets. After dropping the opening set, 2-6, the junior clawed his way back, winning the second set tiebreaker, 7-6. In the final set, both competitors shared serves before Munoz collected the 6-2, 6-7, 10-7 victory.
Also competing in the consolation bracket, Gore defeated Alex Phillips of Georgia in a three-set thriller. After dropping the opening set tiebreaker, 6-7 (4-7), the freshman fought his way back to pick up a 6-7, 6-2, 10-7 win, the first of his collegiate career.
Aubone also put together a three-set comeback after dropping the opening set tiebreaker, defeating Purdue’s Julian Saborio, 6-7, 6-1, 10-8.
In the Flight B consolation bracket, sophomore William Grattan-Smith defeated Presbyterian’s Alberto Conde, 6-4, 6-2.
In doubles action, Madonia and Bastias teamed up to take down UNC’s Llad Harrison and Peck, 8-3.
In the second round, the duo fell to Georgia State’s Jack MacFarlane and Giles Hussey, 1-8.
In an 18 game tiebreaker, ETSU’s David Gonzalez and Fontcuberta edged out Aubone and Gore, 9-8 (10-8) to advance through to the second round of the Flight A Draw.
In the consolation round, the freshmen pair regrouped to take down South Carolina’s Yancy Dennis and Daniel Rodiguez, 8-6.
The Hurricanes will return to the courts Friday with a group of players competing at the Bedford Cup in Orlando, Fla.
Beginning Saturday, redshirt junior Dane Dunlap, sophomore’s Bojan Jankulovski and Adria Soriano Barrera and Madonia will compete in the prestigious Riviera/ITA Men’s All-American Championships.
To keep up with the University of Miami men’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesMensTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Flight A Doubles – First Round
[second-seed] Stephen Madonia/Francisco Bastias def. [15th-seed] Harrison/Peck (UNC), 8-3
[11th-seed] Gonzalez/Fontcuberta (ETSU) def. [sixth-seed] Franco Aubone/Kaya Gore, 9-8 (10-8)
Flight A Doubles – Second Round
[seventh-seed] MacFarlane/Hussey (GSU) def. [second-seed] Stephen Madonia/Francisco Bastias (Miami), 8-1
Flight A Doubles – Consolation
[sixth-seed] Franco Aubone/Kaya Gore def. Rodrigues/Dennis (USC), 8-6
Flight B Doubles – First Round
[third-seed] Rengifo/Khamis (ETSU) def. [14th-seed] Pablo Aycart/William Grattan-Smith, 8-5
Flight A Singles – First Round
[eighth-seed] Daniel Rodrigues (USC) def. [25th-seed] Kaya Gore (Miami), 7-5, 6-0
[fourth-seed] Francisco Bastias (Miami) def. [29th-seed] Tomas Vaise (SMU), 6-2, 6-2
[15th-seed] Josh Peck (UNC) def. [18th-seed] Stephen Madonia (Miami), 6-3, 6-2
[22nd-seed] Raphael Lambling (USC) def. [11th-seed] Franco Aubone (Miami), 6-4, 6-2
Flight A Singles – Second Round
[fourth-seed] Francisco Bastias (Miami) def. [20th-seed] Frazier Rengifo (ETSU), 7-5, 6-3
Flight A Singles – Third Round
[fifth-seed] Roberts Grinvalds (GSU) def. [fourth-seed] Francisco Bastias (Miami), 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Flight A Singles – Consolation 1
[24th-seed] Sergi Fontcuberta (ETSU) def. [25th-seed] Kaya Gore (Miami), 6-2, 7-5
[18th-seed] Stephen Madonia (Miami) def. [31st-seed] Alex Phillips (UGA), withdrawal
[27th-seed] Murphy McCullough (GSU) def. [11th-seed] Franco Aubone (Miami), 6-4, 6-2
Flight A Singles – Consolation 2
[21st-seed] Antonio Munoz (GSU) def. [18th-seed] Stephen Madonia (Miami), 6-2, 6-7, 10-7
Flight A Singles – Consolation 3
Francisco Bastias (Miami) def. Sergi Fontcuberta (ETSU), 6-4, 6-3
Flight B Singles – First Round
[eighth-seed] Yusuf Khamis (ETSU) def. [25th-seed] William Grattan-Smith (Miami), 6-4, 6-3
Flight B Singles – Consolation
[24th-seed] Pascal Wagemaker (GSU) def. [25th-seed] William Grattan-Smith (Miami), 3-6, 6-4, 11-9
Consolation Bracket
Kaya Gore (Miami) def. Alex Phillips (UGA), 6-7 (4), 6-2, 10-7
Franco Aubone (Miami) def. Julian Saborio (Purdue), 6-7, 6-1, 10-8
William Grattan-Smith (Miami) def. Alberto Conde (Pres.), 6-4, 6-2
