News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
FORT WORTH – The Texas A&M men’s tennis team opened with a successful day at the ITA Sectional Championships at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center on Thursday.
Sophomore Tiago Pires took home the best win of his career over William Jansen of Ohio State, 6-4, 6-4.
Senior JC Roddick advances after a two-set victory over Michael Kouame of Memphis, 6-4, 6-1.
Fellow senior Giulio Perego claimed the match after a three-set challenge against Bruno Nhavene of Oklahoma, 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-5.
Junior Togan Tokac fell in his opening match against Jack Anthrop of Ohio State, 6-4, 2-6, 6-0. He moves to compete in the consolation round of 16.
The doubles duo of Perego and Tokac advanced to the quarterfinals with a win over Calvin Mueller/Anton Shepp of Nebraska, 7-6 (9), 7-6 (10).
Play continues tomorrow with the doubles quarterfinals and singles round of 16.
ANN ARBOR – No. 9 Nicole Khirin and Daria Smetannikov claimed a victory in the first round of singles at the ITA Sectional Championships today.
The ITA Sectional Championship features a 32-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw. Six singles players and three doubles teams from each section will qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Khirin faced off against Michigan’s Emily Sartz-Lunde, downing the Wolverine in three sets (6-4, 6-3, 7-5) to pick up her third win of the season. Smetannikov battled Iowa’s Daianne Hayashida, winning in three sets versus the Hawkeye (7-6(3), 3-6, 7-6(5)) for her 11th victory of the year.
In doubles, Khirin and Smetannikov were bested by TCU’s No. 47 Tomi Main/Yu-Chin Tsai. They will continue doubles in the consolation round on Friday.
In round two of singles, Khirin takes on Oklahoma’s Ava Catanzarite, while Smetannikov battles Ohio State’s No. 71 Shelly Bereznyak. In doubles, the pair faces Michigan’s Piper Charney and Emily Sartz-Lunde in the consolation quarterfinals.
THURSDAY RESULTS
Singles
No. 9 Nicole Khirin (TAMU) def. Emily Sartz-Lunde (MU) – 6-4, 6-3, 7-5
Daria Smetannikov (TAMU) def. Daianne Hayashida (IU) – 7-6(3), 3-6), 7-6(5)
Doubles
No. 47 Tomi Main/Yu-Chin Tsai (TCU) def. Nicole Khirin/Daria Smetannikov (TAMU) – 7-5, 7-5