Nov. 3, 2017
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech men’s tennis showed its team prowess in the opening day of the Georgia Tech Invitational as its doubles teams earned five victories and one singles win at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex on Friday.
Day One opened with doubles action and the Yellow Jackets got after it quickly. Playing an 8-game pro set, Tech earned five wins on the day, dropping only one overall.
Doubles team of Phillip Gresk and Chris Yun took down Ryan Kros and Feliksas Sakalauskas of Virginia Tech, 8-2, before Brandon Freestone and Elijah Melendez downed Auburn’s Michael Durham and Alex Masicoli, 8-4.
Carlos Divar and Michael Kay learned back-to-back doubles wins on the day when they defeated Matthew Lord and Jerome Romauldez of Virginia (8-2) and Andrei Ardrukhou and Quentin Coulaud of Georgia State (8-2).
Freestone and Melendez earned their second win of the day when they won 8-5 over Georgia State’s Andrei Duarte and Bailey Showers. The Gresk/Yun tandem dropped a tight 8-7 (1) decision to the Panthers’ Giles Hussey and Kevin Huynh.
Gresk was the lone Yellow Jacket on the day to earn a victory in singles play as he downed George Cartledge of Virginia Tech in a dramatic three-set duel. After taking the first set 7-5, Gresk suffered a back-breaking 7-6 (6) setback in the second set to bring on the deciding third. The Poland native found a second wind in the third, defeating Cartledge 6-2 to take the match.
Divar received a first-round bye in singles and will open play on Saturday.
The three-day tournament continues on Saturday, Nov. 4, beginning at 9 a.m. Day two of the Georgia Tech Invitational will only be singles competition. Doubles play will conclude on Sunday.
Singles
Carlos Divar (Georgia Tech) BYE
Matthew Lord (Virginia) def. Michael Kay (Georgia Tech) 6-4, 6-4
Andrei Ardrukhou (Georgia State) def. Elijah Melendez (Georgia Tech) 7-5, 6-4
Feliksas Sakalauskas (Virginia Tech) def. Brandon Freestone (Georgia Tech) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
Phillip Gresk (Georgia Tech) def. George Cartledge (Virginia Tech) 7-5, 6-7 (6), 6-2
Doubles
Phillip Gresk/Chris Yun (Georgia Tech) def. Ryan Kros/Feliksas Sakalauskas (Virginia Tech) 8-2
Brandon Freestone/Elijah Melendez (Georgia Tech) def. Michael Durham/Alex Mascioli (Auburn) 8-4
Carlos Divar/Michael Kay (Georgia Tech) def. Matthew Lord/Jerome Romauldez (Virginia) 8-2
Carlos Divar/Michael Kay (Georgia Tech) def. Andrei Ardrukhou/Quentin Coulaud (Georgia State) 8-2
Giles Hussey/Kevin Huynh (Georgia State) def. Phillip Gresk/Chris Yun (Georgia Tech) 8-7 (0-1)
Brandon Freestone/Elijah Melendez (Georgia Tech) def. Andrei Duarte/Bailey Showers (Georgia State) 8-5
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