KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Four members of the Vanderbilt men’s tennis team advanced in singles on Day Two of the ITA Ohio Valley Regionals in Knoxville on Friday. The Commodores also had a pair of doubles teams reach the Round of 16.
Fifth-year senior George Harwell cruised in his first match of the day. He won all 12 sets in his victory over Trevor Ball (Northern Kentucky), and then went on to defeat Tomas Luis (Belmont), 6-3, 7-6 (3). No. 42 Harwell will play No. 109 Stijn Slump on Saturday at 8 a.m. CT for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Sophomore Jeremie Casabon and junior Joubert Klopper each won a pair of matches, which included three-set victories to reach the Round of 16. Casabon defeated Drew Michael (Butler), 7-6 (4), 6-3, and Carlos Vincente (TTU), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, while Klopper dropped just two sets against Gabriele Brancatelli (Purdue) and then rallied to beat Alvaro Huete (Butler), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Both Dores are scheduled to resume action at 8 a.m.
Macsen Sisam advanced past 53rd-ranked Dimitri Badra, who retired in the second set, and then reached the Round of 16 with a decisive win over Ilya Tiraspolsky (Indiana), 6-0, 6-4. Sisam will take on 105th-ranked Francois Musitelli of Kentucky on Saturday at 8 a.m.
Junior transfer Siim Troost won against Eli Herran (Ball State), 6-2, 6-3, but fell 7-6 (3), 6-4, to Matthew Fung (Louisville). Similarly, Marcus Ferreira won his second match of the event, 6-1, 6-4, over Hugo Lobo (Mercer), but fell in a lengthy battle with Oscar Cutting of Memphis, 7-6 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-4.
In doubles play, Troost and freshman Michael Ross cruised to an 8-3 win over Kelly/Miyamoto, while the 19th-ranked duo 0f Harwell and Max Freeman outlasted Rock/Alemany, 8-6. Both Commodore pairs are scheduled to play for a spot in the quarterfinals at 10:30 a.m. CT on Saturday.
Regional doubles and singles champions and finalists qualify for the ITA National Fall Championships, which will take place in San Diego, California, beginning on Nov. 4.
Following the ITA Regionals, the Commodores will compete at the ITA All-American Championships, in which Harwell, Freeman and Ferreira were selected to compete. The ITA All-American Championships will be hosted by the University of Tulsa on Oct. 4-10. A full Fall schedule is here.
Stay updated with the Commodores as they compete in the ITA Regionals by following @VandyMTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Vanderbilt Results
Singles
Troost def. Eli Herran (Ball State), 6-2, 6-3
Matthew Fung (Louisville) def. Troost, 7-6 (3), 6-4
Klopper def. Gabriele Brancatelli (Purdue), 6-1, 6-1
Klopper def. Alvaro Huete (Butler), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
#83 Casabon def. Drew Michael (Butler), 7-6 (4), 6-3
#83 Casabon def. Carlos Vincente (TTU), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
Sisam def. #53 Dimitri Badra (ETSU), 2-6, 4-3, ret.
Sisam def. Ilya Tiraspolsky (Indiana), 6-0, 6-4
#42 Harwell def. Trevor Ball (NKU), 6-0, 6-0
#42 Harwell def. Tomas Luis (Belmont), 6-3, 7-6 (3)
#123 Ferreira def. Hugo Lobo (Mercer), 6-1, 6-4
Oscar Cutting (Memphis) def. #123 Ferreira, 7-6(7) 6-7(5) 6-4
Frazier Rengifo (ETSU) def. Freeman, 7-6 (3), 6-1
Diego Nava (Xavier) def. Ross, 6-3, 7-5
Doubles
Troost/Ross def. Kelly/Miyamoto, 8-3
Kovacevic/Adams def Klopper/Ferreira [cond]
#19 Harwell/Freeman def. Rock/Alemany, 8-6
