Melendez Takes 2nd ITA Summer Tennis Title

July 23, 2014

THE FLATS – Incoming Georgia Tech freshman Elijah Melendez captured his second ITA Summer Circuit title this week when he won the singles championship at the ITA event in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Melendez, ranked 103rd in the nation by the Tennis Recruiting Network, defeated Trevor Gotkowski in the championship match, winning the first set, 6-2, and leading the second, 1-0, when the Wofford freshman retired.

The Suwanee, Ga., freshman, who was seeded seventh in the tournament, knocked off the top seed, Alabama sophomore Sean Donohue, 6-3, 7-6 (9), 1-0 (10-4), in the semi-finals. He had a bye in the first round and defeated his first three opponents in straight sets to reach the semis.

Melendez had already won the doubles title in the ITA Summer event at Murfreesboro, Tenn., the week before. He and Miami’s William Albanese were defeated in the round of 16 in the Tuscaloosa event, but went on to take three matches and win the back draw.

Another Tech incoming freshman, Daniel Yun of Marietta, Ga., ranked 46th in the nation, reached the quarterfinals of the Tuscaloosa event in doubles but lost in the round of 32 in singles. He went on to win twice in the consolation draw.