Oct. 22, 2011
Athens, Ga. – Kevin King and Juan Melian Puigventos each won two matches Saturday and have advanced to the quarterfinals of the the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championships at the Dan Magill Tennis Center.
King, ranked 85th in the nation and seeded sixth in the regional, has yet to lose a set in the tournament. The senior from Peachtree City, Ga., beat Federico Sabogal of South Florida in the round of 32 Saturday, then came back to rout Campbell Johnson of Georgia, 6-2, 6-2.
“Both of the players I faced totay were solid, made good shots and made me work the points,” said King. “I did a good job executing my game plan and doing the things I’ve been working on. I served well throughout the matches, which helps get some free points against these guys. I’m not real familiar with my next opponent, although I know he’s a pretty good player. Each match is a new opportunity.”
Melian Puigventos, the seventh seed, got through to the quarters while dropping just one set, that in his round of 16 victory over Florida State’s Jason Zafiros, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. The junior from Las Palmas, Spain, defeated Lucas Marin-Salcedo, 6-0, 7-5, earlier in the day.
King has a Sunday morning date with Florida’s Nassim Slilam, ranked 37th in the nation and the third seed in the regional. Melian Puigventos will meet Georgia’s Ignacio Taboada. Both matches are scheduled for 10 a.m., and the winners will play semifinal contests Sunday afternoon.
The finalists in singles and the champion in doubles in this regional will earn spots in next month’s USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships in Flushing, N.Y.
Meanwhile on Saturday, second seed and 34th-ranked Juan Spir earned a three-set win (6-3, 3-6, 6-4) over Juan Carlos Acuna of South Florida before being eliminated in the round of 16 by Florida’s Spencer Newman, 6-2, 6-2. Senior Dusan Miljevic was ousted in the round of 32 by the Gators’ Billy Federhofer in a tight, three-setter, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4).
King and Miljevic were unable to advance in the doubles draw Saturday, dropping a 9-7 decision to Georgia’s Wil Spencer and Garrett Brasseaux.
2011 USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championships
Dan Magill Tennis Complex, Athens, Ga.
Saturday Results
Singles Round of 32
Billy Federhofer, Florida def. Dusan Miljevic, Ga. Tech, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(4)
Kevin King (6), Ga. Tech def. Federico Sabogal, USF, 6-3, 6-3
Juan Melian Puigventos (7), Ga. Tech def. Lucas Marin-Salcedo, USF, 6-0, 7-5
Juan Spir (2), Ga. Tech def. Juan Carlos Acuna, USF, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
Singles Round of 16
Kevin King (6), Ga. Tech def. Campbell Johnson, Georgia, 6-2, 6-2
Juan Melian Puigventos (7), Ga. Tech def. Jason Zafiros, FSU, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
Spencer Newman, Florida def. Juan Spir (2), Ga. Tech, 6-2, 6-2
Singles Consolation Round of 32
Andrew Butz, Florida def. Eduardo Segura Mandarino, Ga. Tech, 6-3, 5-7, 1-0(11-9)
Doubles Quarterfinals
Wil Spencer/Garrett Brasseaux, Georgia de. Kevin King/Dusan Miljevic (2), Ga. Tech, 9-7
