Aycart and Shimamoto Reach Semifinals
ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Miami men’s tennis team continued its 2018-19 season Friday afternoon, as it began competition in the Bedford Cup at the USTA National Campus – home of the UCF Knights.
Sophomores Pablo Aycart Joya and Tatsuki Shimamoto teamed up in the Doubles Flight 2 quarterfinals, where they defeated the brackets No. 2 seed from FGCU, Feliksas Sakalauskas and Marcelo Tebet, 8-4.
Saturday morning Bethune-Cookman’s Victor Bravo and Jose Plazas will take on Stetson’s Tim Gennes and Josh Laka, with the winner advancing to challenge the UM duo in the semifinals.
In the Doubles Flight 1 Draw, sophomore William Grattan-Smith and freshman Kaya Gore fell to Dominik Barton and Frederico Nani of UNF, 4-8.
In singles, Grattan-Smith picked up a first round victory over Florida State’s Richard Thongoana. After dropping the opening set, 5-7, the Atlanta, Ga., native fought back to seal the victory, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.
In the second round, the sophomore faced Gabriel Decamps.
Again, after falling in the opening set, Grattan-Smith fought his way back to claim the second set, 6-2. In a third set tiebreaker, Decamps pulled away, taking the match, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-3).
Dropping a first set-tiebreaker against South Florida’s Ivan Yatsuk, Gore was unable to turn things around, falling 6-7, 2-6. Also competing in Flight 1, Shimamoto lost to USF’s Sergio Gomez-Montesa, 3-6, 3-6.
In Flight 2, Aycart dropped his match against UNF’s Nilo Duarte, 5-7, 2-6.
Cameras will be set up on each court, with live video available HERE. The tournament central page can also be accessed HERE.
All players are guaranteed at least three singles and two doubles matches, with doubles action set to kick off each day at 8:30 a.m.
To keep up with the University of Miami tennis team on social media, follow @CanesMensTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Friday Results
Men’s Singles Flight 1 – Round of 32
William Grattan-Smith (UM) def. Richard Thongoana (FSU), 5-7, 6-1, 6-3
Ivan Yatsuk (USF) def. Kaya Gore (UM), 7-6, 6-2
Sergio Gomez-Montesa (USF) def. Tatsuki Shimamoto (UM), 6-3, 6-3
Men’s Singles Flight 1 – Round of 16
[fifth-seed] Gabriel Decamps def. William Grattan Smith, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-3)
Men’s Singles Flight 2 – Round of 16
Nilo Duarte (UNF) def. Pablo Aycart Joya (UM), 7-5, 6-2
Men’s Doubles Flight 1 – Round of 16
Barton/Nani (UNF) def. Grattan-Smith/Gore (UM), 8-4
Men’s Doubles Flight 2 – Quarterfinals
Aycart/Shimamoto (UM) def. [second-seed] Sakalauskas/Tebet [FGCU], 8-4
