ROME, Ga. - Georgia Gwinnett college men’s tennis dominated the first day of competition at the ITA Cup, advancing all singles players to the quarterfinal round adn one doubles team to the next stage of the tournament. The event, held at the Rome Tennis Center, determines individual national champions in singles and doubles.
Senior Santiago Villarruel, the tournament’s top seed and defending NAIA singles national champion, opened with a decisive 6-3, 6-0 victory over Ivan Vazuez of Xavier University of Louisiana. He will face Hugo Abril of Arizona Christian University in the quarterfinals on Friday, October 17, at 9 a.m.
Senior Luis Francisco Sampedro, seeded no. 3, also secured a straight-set win, defeating Santiago Sarudiansky of Huntington University (indiana) 6-2, 6-2. Sampedro’s quarterfinal opponent will be Lev Sholosh of Lindsey Wilson University (Kentucky).
francisco Perez Esnaola,the No. 4 seed, battled to a three-set triumph over Matheus Lima of Indiana Wesleyan University, winning 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. He will face Nereo Suarez of Xavier University in the quarterfinals.
in doubles play, the No. 2 seeded tandem of Villarruel and Sampedro defeated a pairing from Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas) 6-3, 6-4. They will meet lennert Lemathieu and Abril of Arizona Christian on Friday at 3 p.m.
The team of freshman Kanan Gasimov and Perez Esnaola fell in the Round of 16, losing 6-2, 6-4 to a team from Holy Cross College (Indiana).
“It was a solid start, with all of our players getting through to the quarterfinal in singles,” saeid Head Coach Hannah Keeling.”Expectations are to build and step up tomorrow. Santiago and Luis continued that momentum through in doubles. They have amazing chemistry on the court together and they continue to grow with each match. I’m looking forward to seeing how we compete again tomorrow.”
Georgia Gwinnett College players will continue competition in the quarterfinal round on Friday, October 17, at the Rome Tennis Center, beginning at 9 a.m. The ITA Cup will crown individual national champions on Sunday, October 19.
