Jan. 20, 2012
ATLANTA – The 15th-ranked Georgia Tech men’s tennis team made quick work of Old Dominion Friday in its 2012 spring season opener, sweeping the Monarchs 7-0 at the Bill Moore Tennis Center in Atlanta.
Senior Kevin King, the ninth-ranked player nationally, rolled past ODU’s Krzysztof Muzalewski in straight sets 6-0, 6-0. Earlier in the match, King teamed with junior Juan Spir, and the second-ranked doubles team downed Muzalewski and Albert Ochagavia, 8-5.
Tech welcomed back former assistant coach Aljosa Piric, who is in his first year as the head coach at ODU.
“It was a good match against Aljosa, it was interesting to see him because he knew our team really well,” said Georgia Tech head coach Kenny Thorne. “Seeing their game plans on the court, he knew where to serve us in doubles. That was great for our guys to have to play against them. His team is going to be good, they fought hard today and he’s got them on the right track.”
The match of the day came in No. 2 singles as junior Juan Melian survived a first-set tie breaker with Ochagavia (7-3), then took the second set, 6-3. After the nip-and-tuck first set, Melian flexed his muscle in the second and his triumph clinched the overall victory for the Yellow Jackets (1-0).
In No. 3 singles, Spir downed Carlos Lopez-Villa in straight sets (6-2, 6-3) and Dusan Milijevic beat Alfredo Rodriguez in No. 4 singles with a pair of 6-1 results. Freshman Vikram Hundal dispatched Wesley Barrett in No. 5 singles 6-4, 6-2 and in the final match of the day, freshman Eduardo Segura ousted ODU’s Can Cetinel, 6-3 and 6-1.
“I felt like, with having quite a few young guys on the team, we came out and there wasn’t really a hiccup,” said Thorne. “It was nice and I hadn’t seen that too often with teams. We’re going to be tested a lot on Sunday and we’ll be pushed to the limit.”
Tech opened the afternoon with an easy win of the doubles point. Along with King and Spir’s result, Melian and Hundal took down Rodriguez and Cetinel, 8-3, and Milijevic and Segura toppled Lopez-Villa and Barrett, 8-2.
Tech returns to action Sunday at Tennessee. The match is underway at 12 p.m.
Tennis Match Results
Old Dominion vs Georgia Tech
Jan 20, 2012 at Atlanta, Ga.
#15 Georgia Tech 7, Old Dominion 0
Singles competition:
1. #9 Kevin King (GT) def. Krzysztof Muzalewski (ODU) 6-0, 6-0
2. J. Melian Puigventos (GT) def. Albert Ochagavia (ODU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
3. Juan Spir (GT) def. Carlos Lopez Villa (ODU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Dusan Miljevic (GT) def. Alfredo Rodriguez (ODU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Vikram Hundal (GT) def. Wesley Barrett (ODU) 6-4, 6-2
6. E. Segura Mandarino (GT) def. Can Cetinel (ODU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition:
1. #2 Kevin King/Juan Spir (GT) def. Krzysztof Muzalewski/Albert Ochagavia (ODU) 8-5
2. J. Melian Puigventos/Vikram Hundal (GT) def. Alfredo Rodriguez/Can Cetinel (ODU) 8-3
3. Dusan Miljevic/E. Segura Mandarino (GT) def. Carlos Lopez Villa/Wesley Barrett (ODU) 8-2
Match Notes:
Old Dominion 0-1
Georgia Tech 1-0; National ranking #15
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,3,4,2,5,6)
Match played indoors
T-4:18 A-88
