Men's Tennis Opens Play in Athens, Ga.
ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Miami men’s tennis team started its 2016 fall campaign Friday at the 49th annual Southern Intercollegiate Championships.
Five of the six Hurricanes to compete combined to go 8-2 in singles matches at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. Senior Max Andrews withdrew from the competition prior to his first round matchup due to injury.
“It was a good first day for our team. It’s great for us as coaches to see our team compete. It gives us a good idea of where we are as a team,” head coach Aljosa Piric explained. “I liked the intensity and fight from our guys, for the most part, today. As the tournament progresses we need to enjoy pressure, and remain poised and confident, particularly during the critical points of the matches.”
In the first match of the season, junior Niclas Genovese defeated Georgia State senior Valentin Horvat, 6-2, 6-3, in the Division III, round of 32. Later in the afternoon in the round of 16, Genovese defeated Carlos Tajes of Tennessee Tech, 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.
In the Division I bracket, No. 31 [5-seed] Piotr Lomacki opened up his junior campaign with a straight-set victory over Ricardo Jorge of Ole Miss, 6-1, 6-2. In the round of 32, Lomacki earned another straight-set victory, 6-0, 6-1 over Jan Zielinski of Georgia.
In the same bracket, No. 58 [13-seed] Christian Langmo fell to Elon’s Mario Paccini in the opening round, 6-2, 6-2.
In the Division II round of 64 and 32, Kevin Bondar and Jesse Flores took the courts for their first matches of the season.
In the Round of 64, Kevin Bondar took care of business against Sam Dromsky of Georgia in three sets, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, to advance into the Round of 32. Bondar came up on the short end against Virginia Tech’s, Henrik Korsgaard falling, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Senior Jesse Flores opened up his season defeating Daniel Cardenas of Lipscomb, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, in the round of out matches before earning a straight-set victory over Nicolo de Fraia of UCF, 6-4, 6-4. In the round of 32, Flores improved to 3-0 on the year with a three-set victory over Sebastian Acuna of Georgia State, 6-0, 2-6, 6-3.
To keep up to date with the men’s tennis team, follow the squad on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @CanesMensTennis.
FRIDAY RESULTS
Division I Singles (Round of 64)
No. 31 [5-seed] Piotr Lomacki (Miami) def. Ricardo Jorge (Ole Miss), 6-1, 6-2
Mario Paccini (Elon) def. No. 58 [13-seed] Christian Langmo (Miami), 6-2, 6-2
Division I Singles (Round of 32)
No. 31 [5-seed] Piotr Lomacki (Miami) def. Jan Zielinski (UGA), 6-0, 6-1
Division II Singles (Out Matches)
Jesse Flores (Miami) def. Daniel Cardenas (Lipscomb), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Division II Singles (Round of 64)
Gus Benson (Kentucky) def. Max Andrews (Miami), WD
Kevin Bondar (Miami) def. Sam Dromsky (UGA), 7-5, 2-6, 6-3
Jesse Flores (Miami) def. Nicolo de Fraia (UCF), 6-4, 6-4
Division II Singles (Round of 32)
Jesse Flores (Miami) def. Sebastian Acuna (Georgia State), 6-0, 2-6, 6-3
Henrik Korsgaard (Virginia Tech) def. Kevin Bondar (Miami), 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Division III SIngles (Round of 32)
Niclas Genovese (Miami) def. Valentin Horvat (Georgia State), 6-2, 6-3
Division III Singles (Round of 16)
Niclas Genovese (Miami) def. Carlos Tajes (Tennessee Tech), 6-1, 4-6, 7-5
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
Division I Singles (Round of 16)
11 a.m. – No. 31 [5-seed] Piotr Lomacki (Miami) vs. Florin Bragusi (Oklahoma)
Division I Singles (Consolation)
3:30 p.m. – No. 58 [13-seed] Christian Langmo vs. Johan den Toom (Ark)
Division II Singles (Round of 16)
12 p.m. – Jesse Flores (Miami) vs. Panu Virtanen (Vanderbilt)
Division II Singles (Consolation)
12 p.m. – Max Andrews (Miami) vs. Leonardo Menezes (UNC Charlotte)
Division III Singles (Quarterfinals)
10:30 a.m. – Niclas Genovese (Miami) vs. Victor Chaw (Lipscomb)
Division I Doubles (Round of 64)
Andrews/Flores (Miami) vs. bye
No. 50 [6-seed] Lomacki/Langmo (Miami) vs. bye
Division II Doubles (Round of 32)
9 a.m. – Genovese/Bondar vs. Kessler/Guillin (Florida)
