ATHENS, Ga. – The Vanderbilt men’s tennis team opened up singles competition at the Southern Intercollegiates on Friday with Vijay Paul and Alex Zotov advancing to the round of 16 in their respective divisions.
“I saw some good, some bad, and some ugly today,” head coach Ian Duvenhage said. “I saw a lot of good things from our young players, but I also saw a lot of room to improve.”
Held at the at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on the University of Georgia campus, the tournament is split into three divisions (I, II and III) in singles and two in doubles (I and II).
Competing in the Division I Singles bracket, Paul advanced to the round of 16 with a pair of victories.
“Vijay Paul played the best tennis I’ve seen since he has been at Vanderbilt,” Duvenhage said.
Also competing in the Division I Singles bracket were seniors Evan Dufaux and Ryan Preston. Both Dufaux and Preston were unable to advance to join Paul in the round of 16.
Making the round of 16 in Division III singles was Zotov, who led the Commodores in the bracket with two victories on Friday.
Zotov advanced to the round of 16 after defeating Louisville’s Ben Clos 6-3, 7-6(2) and Mercer’s Ryan Ingram, 6-2, 6-1.
“Alex (Zotov) is playing the best I’ve seen him play since he’s been here,” Duvenhage said.
Also competing in the Division III Single bracket were Andy Pulido and James Moye.
Pulido advanced to the round of 32 with a 6-4, 7-6(2) win over Dusan Milovanovic of Morehead State before falling to the MSU’s Mak Gennini, 6-1, 6-4 in the round of 32. Moye took USC’s Chris Sheehan to three sets before losing 7-5, 4-6, 6-0.
In the Division II Singles bracket, Adam Baker advanced to the round of 64 with a bye, while Scott Lieberman advanced to the round of 64 with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over NC State’s Frideric Prandeki.
In the round of 64, Baker won the first set against Geoff Barton of Florida before being eliminated after losing the next two sets in tiebreakers, 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(8). Lieberman also fell in the round of 64 with a 6-2, 7-6(13) loss to Middle Tennessee State’s John Peers.
The Commodores will continue play at the Southern Intercollegiates on Saturday.
