Oct. 30, 2014
Orlando, Fla. – All four Georgia Tech entries won opening-round singles matches Thursday, and each won their opening doubles matches as well in the 2014 USTA Collegiate Clay Court Invitational presented by VISIT FLORIDA at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando.
Senior Eduardo Segura and freshman Michael Kay got things started for the Yellow Jackets Thursday morning. Segura, the No. 8 seed, defeated Columbia’s Daniel Grunberger, 6-4, 7-5, while Kay outlasted Florida State’s Jake Albo, 6-7 (10), 7-6 (7), 6-3. An hour later, sophomore Carlos Benito, a top-16 seed, downed Central Florida’s Francesc Aulina, 1-6, 6-2, 6-4. Sophomore Cole Fiegel finished the Jackets’ day with a 7-6 (2), 6-4 upset over top-16 seed Tom Colautti of Princeton.
Segura and Benito, the nation’s 20th-ranked doubles team, got by Tsukamoto and Clark of Miami, 8-6, in the opening round of men’s B doubles, while Fiegel and Kay defeated Grunberger and Rubin of Columbia, 8-5.
“It’s good to see our guys down here on the clay, a surface that gives a fit, mentally tough competitor an advantage,” said Tech assistant coach Derek Schwandt. “We are looking forward to the matches tomorrow.”
After playing at three different sites Thursday, all 16 second-round matches and eight round of 16 matches will be played Friday at Disney’s Wide World of Sports, as well as the quarterfinals of doubles.
At 8 a.m., Segura meets Hunter Koontz of Virginia Tech, and Benito takes on Chase Perez-Blanco of Florida. At 9:30 a.m., Fiegel plays Max Hinnisdaeis of Auburn, and Kay faces the Hokies’ Joao Monteiro, a top-16 seed. Survivors will move into the round of 16 during the 2 p.m. hour.
The doubles quarterfinals will be played late Friday afternoon, with Segura and Benito taking on Oliver Gingras and Tuki Jacobs of South Alabama, and Fiegel and Kay meeting Max Vroome and Nick Crystal of Southern California.
The third annual event, hosted by Florida State University at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., features men’s and women’s singles and doubles competitions comprised of players from 39 different schools.
Schedule of play for men:
Friday WWOS: Doubles A&B – Second Round; Singles A – Second/Round of 16/Conso; Singles B – Quarterfinals/Conso
Saturday WWOS: Doubles A – Quarterfinals; Doubles B – Semifinals; Singles A – QF/SF; Singles B – Semifinals
Saturday GC: Consolations
Sunday WWOS: Doubles A – SF/Finals; Doubles B – Finals; Singles A/B – Finals
About Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis
Georgia Tech’s men’s tennis team is in its 17th year under head coach Kenny Thorne. The Yellow Jackets have played in the NCAA Championship 14 times. Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis on social media by liking their Facebook page, or following on Twitter (@GT_MTEN). For more information on Tech men’s tennis, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
