WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Freshman Donghyun Hwang secured two wins on the day to earn a spot in the singles main draw at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships hosted by Purdue.
Hwang, fellow freshman Cayden Wang and senior Tighe Brunetti all competed on Thursday with a berth into Friday’s main draw on the line. Brunetti struck first for the Dores with a swift 6-0, 6-3 win over Ball State’s Broc Fletcher. Hwang followed suit against Aidan Atwood of Indiana, downing the Hoosier 6-2, 6-3. Wang could not overcome Butler’s Riccardo Baldi in his opening match, falling 6-4, 6-4.
In the second set of matches, Brunetti faced Arenui Luethi of East Tennessee State. The senior saw his Regionals run come to an end with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) loss to the Buccaneer. Hwang took on Chattanooga’s Martin Delnido in what became a three-set battle between the two, with Hwang taking the opening set 6-4 and Delnido striking back in the second 7-5. It was the freshman Commodore who ultimately came out on top, hanging on 10-8 in the final frame to win the match and qualify for the singles main draw.
The result marks Hwang’s third straight singles victory and gives him a 3-2 record to start his collegiate career. Seven total Dores are set to compete tomorrow including Hwang: freshman Jack Satterfield, sophomores Callum Markowitz and No. 84 ranked Pablo Martinez Gomez, juniors Hugo Coquelin and No. 46 Danil Panarin as well as senior Nathan Cox. The opening matches of tomorrow’s main draw are slated for a 9 a.m. start.
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Day 1 Results:
SINGLES
Brunetti (Vanderbilt) def. Fletcher (Ball State) 6-0, 6-3
Hwang (Vanderbilt) def. Atwood (Indiana) 6-2, 6-3
Baldi (Butler) def. Wang (Vanderbilt) 6-4, 6-4
Luethi (East Tennessee State) def. Brunetti (Vanderbilt) 6-4, 7-6 (4)
Hwang (Vanderbilt) def. Delnido (Chattanooga) 6-4, 5-7, 10-8
[Consolation] Wang (Vanderbilt) def. Axel Sabourin (Southern Indiana) 7-6, 7-6
