Oct. 22, 2016
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt men’s tennis team had another busy day in Knoxville, Tenn. as the squad competed in day three of the ITA Ohio Valley Regionals. Following Saturday’s action one Commodore doubles team along with Daniel Valent advanced in tournament draws.
Vandy began the day in a tough doubles contest as Cameron Klinger and Billy Rowe faced off against Northern Kentucky’s Virag/Clemens in regional quarterfinals. The Commodores were taken to an 8-7 tiebreaker before coming out on top to advance to Sunday’s semifinal.
In singles, Valent and Baker Newman both picked up three-set wins to move on to the quarterfinals. The top-seed in the tournament, Valent downed Kentucky’s Nils Ellesfen 6-1, 5-7,6-1. For the second day in a row, Newman defeated a higher seed with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Memphis’ Kai Lemke.
With both Commodores advancing all the way through their bracket, they met one another in the singles quarterfinals. Valent came out on top of the first set, 6-3, but Newman nearly forced the third set after taking the Zurich, Switzerland native to a second set tiebreaker. Both Vandy student-athletes played a high level of tennis with No. 21 Valent walking away with a spot in semifinals, 6-3, 7-6(5).
Looking ahead, Klinger/Rowe face Tennessee’s top-seeded Luis Valero and Jack Schipanski. The Vol duo currently sits at No. 5 in the country. The in-state showdown is scheduled to take place Sunday morning at 8 a.m. CT.
Valent will face his second consecutive UK opponent in the semifinals taking on Trey Yates at 10 a.m.
Singles and doubles regional champions advance to the third ITA national championship of the season, the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships.
ITA OHIO REGIONAL CHMPIONSHIP
DOUBLES
Quarterfinal
[4] Klinger/Rowe (Vanderbilt) def. Virag/Clemens (NKU) 8-7
SINGLES
Round of 16
[1] Daniel Valent (Vanderbilt) def. [15] Nils Ellefsen (Kentucky) 6-1, 5-7, 6-1
[17] Baker Newman (Vanderbilt) def. [8] Kai Lemke (Memphis) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
4
Quarter Finals
[1] Daniel Valent (Vanderbilt) def. [17] Baker Newman (Vanderbilt) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
SINGLES
Consolation
Round of 32
[6] Cameron Klinger (Vanderbilt) def. Ari Gerstein (Butler) 4-6, 6-2, 10-3
[14] Antonio Cembellin (Indiana) def. Alex Ross (Vanderbilt) 6-3, 6-2
[23] Panu Virtanen (Vanderbilt) def. [31] George Hedley (Louisville) 2-6, 6-0, 10-3
Tate Allwardt (Vanderbilt) def. Michael Birnbaum (UTC) 6-1, 6-1
Vikran Chari (Vanderbilt) def. Sunay Bhat (Tennessee) 6-4, 6-4
Round of 16
[6] Cameron Klinger (Vanderbilt) def. [24] Bennett Crane (Indiana) 6-2, 6-3
[23] Panu Virtanen (Vanderbilt) def. Matt Bishop (Xavier) 2-6, 6-3, 13-11
Tate Allwardt (Vanderbilt) def. Jack Schipanski (Tennessee) by forfeit
Matthew Mccoy (Bloomington) def. Vikram Chari (Vanderbilt) 6-2, 6-1
