Vallverdu Wins Fourth Straight at ITA Southeast Regional Championships
Oct. 19, 2008
Lexington, Ky. – Top-seeded Daniel Vallverdu of the University of Miami men’s tennis team won his fourth-straight match in straight sets to advance to Monday’s semifinals at the ITA Southeast Regional Championships at the University of Kentucky.
With his berth in the semifinals, Vallverdu has also qualified for the prestigious National Indoor Championships to be held in Charlottesville, Va., from Nov. 6-9.
“Dani kept his composure at critical moments in the match and was able to make adjustments when his opponent raised his game,” said head Miami men’s tennis coach Mario Rincon. “He beat one of the best players in the country today.”
Vallverdu, the nation’s third ranked singles player, downed Ole Miss’ 15th-seeded Jonas Berg, 6-3, 7-6 (6) to advance to Monday’s semifinal, which will feature the tournament’s top-four seeds. Vallverdu is slated to face Georgia’s third-seeded Nate Schnugg, who advanced after a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Tennessee’s 8th-seeded Boris Conkic on Sunday.
The winner of the Vallverdu-Schnugg match will play for the regional title versus the winner of the match between host Kentucky’s Bruno Agostinelli and Tennessee’s John-Patrick Smith.
In consolation play, both Keith Crowley and Ignacio Taboada put together impressive afternoons. After a first-round bye, Crowley knocked off Mississippi State’s Chris Doerr, 6-1, 5-7, 12-10, Stetson’s Cesare Gallo, 2-6, 6-3, 10-3 and Vanderbilt’s James Moye by default.
Taboada, in his first season of collegiate tennis, went 4-0 in consolation play. He defeated Tennessee’s Matteo Fago, 7-6 (4), 6-4, Vanderbilt’s Bryant Salcedo, 3-6, 7-6, 10-6, Stetson’s Maksim Levanovich, 6-2, 7-5, and LSU’s John Tragardh, 7-6, 6-1.
“I can’t say enough about Ignacio,” said Rincon. “He has proved himself to be one of the best freshmen in the country.”
2008 Wilson/ITA Southeast Regional Championships
Round of 8 Singles
(1) Daniel Vallverdu def. (15) Jonas Berg (Ole Miss), 6-3, 7-6 (6)
Consolation Round of 32
Keith Crowley (Miami), Bye
Ignacio Taboada (Miami) def. Matteo Fago (Tennessee), 7-6 (4), 6-4
Consolation Round of 16
Keith Crowley (Miami) def. Chris Doerr (Mississippi State), 6-1, 5-7, 12-10
Ignacio Taboada (Miami) def. Bryant Salcedo (Vanderbilt), 3-6, 7-6, 10-6
Consolation Round of 8
Keith Crowley (Miami) def. Cesare Gallo (Stetson), 2-6, 6-3, 10-3
Ignacio Taboada (Miami) def. Maksim Levanovich (Stetson), 6-2, 7-5
Consolation Round of 4
Keith Crowley (Miami) def. James Moye (Vanderbilt), Default
Ignacio Taboada (Miami) def. John Tragardh (LSU), 7-6, 6-1
