Oct. 30, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Cameron Klinger and Daniel Valent of the Vanderbilt men’s tennis team are the co-singles champions of the Commodore Scramble. Both student-athletes walked away from the weekend undefeated individually, winning all matches in straight sets.
“I thought it was a good weekend,” said head coach Ian Duvenhage. “I think we saw a lot of positives, and we saw a lot of things that we can improve on in singles. Doubles, we were not at our best this weekend. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but that’s what these fall tournaments are for. The real value of this tournament is that we identified some areas to improve.”
Louisville’s Parker Wynn and Sean Donohue won the Commodore Scramble doubles championship.
In morning doubles, Vanderbilt went undefeated with all four teams garnering victories. Pen Binet and Panu Virtanen posted a spotless 8-0 victory over Belmont’s Russo/Niel.
Valent and Baker Newman picked up an 8-3 win over Middle Tennessee’s Raschiatore/Pugh while Vikram Chari and Tate Allwardt piled up an 8-5 victory over the Bruin’s Dujacquier/Goldman. Klinger and Billy Rowe rounded doubles off with a commanding 8-2 win over Lipscomb’s Cardenas/Minet.
The Commodores capped singles play picking up six more singles wins to bring the weekend total to 33 total victories.
Heading into the final day undefeated against the top players in tournament contention, No. 21 Valent and No. 60 Klinger defeated their foes from Lipscomb and Tennessee Tech to end the weekend with a combined record of 10-0.
A native of Zurich, Switerland, Valent powered past the Bisons’ Alejandro Manzanares, 6-1, 6-2. Klinger battled Tennessee Tech’s Marcos Bernardes, coming back to defeat the Brazilian, 6-4, 6-4.
“Our champions, Danny and Cam, those two guys did a great job this weekend,” Duvenage said. “Neither lost a single set this weekend. Danny is a really tough out and so he had a good weekend. Cam had a shaky start on Friday, but then got it together and made a 180 in terms of his attitude. We talk all the time that your performance will follow your attitude, and if your attitude is good the rest takes care of itself.”
Five Commodores only suffered one loss on the weekend with Billy Rowe giving up his lone loss on Sunday afternoon in a tough three-setter against Louisville’s Parker Wynn, 7-6, 2-6, 6-4.
Vandy wraps up fall play next weekend in Tuscaloosa, Ala., as the team competes in the SEC Fall Classic.
Sunday Results:
Doubles – Champion; Wynn/Donohue (Louisville)
Klinger/Rowe (VU) def. Cardenas/Minet (LIP); 8-2
Chari/Allwardt (VU) def. Dujacquier/Goldman (BEL); 8-5
Binet/Virtanen (VU) def. Russo/Niel (BEL); 8-0
Valent/Newman (VU) def. Raschiatore/Pugh (MT); 8-3
Singles – Co-Champions, Cameron Klinger (VU) and Danny Valent (VU)
Daniel Valent (VU) def. Alejandro Manzanares (LIP); 6-1, 6-2
Panu Virtanen (VU) def. Fredrik Moe (LOU); 6-2, 6-2
Vikram Chari (VU) def. Michael Pugh (MT); 7-5, 6-3
Baker Newman (VU) def. Michael Quang (LOU); 6-3, 6-3
Cameron Klinger (VU) def. Marcos Bernardes (TN Tech); 6-4, 6-4
Tate Allwardt (VU) def. Daniel Cardenas (LIP); 6-4, 6-1
Parker Wynn (LOU) def. Billy Rowe (VU); 7-6, 2-6, 6-4
Cedric Dujacuier (BEL) def. Alex Ross (VU); 7-6(4), 7-6(5)
