Oct. 24, 2010
Gainesville, Fla. – Kevin King and Juan Spir, the nation’s 43rd-ranked doubles team, captured their first collegiate title Sunday by defeating Yellow Jacket teammates Eliot Potvin and Ryan Smith, 8-6, in the finals of the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional at the University of Florida.
King, a junior from Peachtree City, Ga., and Spir, a sophomore from Medellin, Colombia, have advanced to play in the 2010 USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships, taking place Nov. 4-7, at the new indoor facilities at the USTA-Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, located in Flushing, N.Y.
King and Spir reached the finals Sunday by defeating Georgia’s Sadio Doumbia and Ignacio Tabaoda, 8-5, while Potvin and Smith downed Roman Deridder and Wael Kilani of South Florida by the same score.
“Overall, we grew as a team and competed well at a lot of different spots, which is what we look for,” said Tech coach Kenny Thorne. “To have two of our doubles teams in the finals was a first for us. It was a really good final. Kevin and Juan edged it our at the very end, but I’m proud of Eliot and Ryan. They both played very well.
“It was a treat. As coaches, you can sit back and enjoy watching it. They know each other so well, so they relaxed and played a great match.”
In singles action Sunday, Dusan Miljevic got to the semifinals by defeating Florida’s Bob van Overbeek, 6-3, 6-4, but lost in the semis to Georgia’s Will Spencer, 6-4, 6-1. All-American Guillermo Gomez lost in the quarterfinals to the Gators’ Sekou Bangoura, Jr., 7-5, 7-5.
“Dusan had a great tournament,” Thorne said. “He had no bye and played a lot of matches. He beat a great player from Florida this morning. He competed very well, and did everything he could. Guillermo had a tough day, but he qualified for the nationals.”
Though Gomez lost Sunday, his advance to the quarterfinals and his No. 4 national ranking earned him a wild card spot in the nationals. The rest of Tech’s team returns to action Nov. 5 at the Bulldog Scramble in Athens, the team’s final fall event.
USTA/ITA SOUTHEAST REGIONAL
University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
DAY 4 RESULTS
Quarterfinals Singles
Sekou Bangoura, Jr., Florida (111) d. Guillermo Gomez (4), 7-5, 7-5
Dusan Miljevic d. Bob van Overbeek, Florida (105), 6-3, 6-4
Semifinals Singles
Will Spencer, Georgia d. Miljevic, 6-4, 6-1
Semifinals Doubles
Potvin/Smith (60) d. Roman Deridder/Wael Kilani, South Florida, 8-5 King/Spir (43) d. Sadio Doumbia/Ignacio Tabaoda, Georgia, 8-5
Championship Doubles
King/Spir (43) d. Potvin/Smith (60), 8-6
