Oct. 27, 2007
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Doug Kenny and Jose Muguruza of the Georgia Tech men’s tennis team each reached singles consolation draw finals with two victories each on the second day of the Crimson Tide Fall Championship at the Varsity Courts in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Kenny along with teammate George Gvelesiani also earned a spot in a finals, picking up two victories in the Tide doubles consolation draw. Enjoying a walk-over in the first round and a bye in the quarterfinals, the Jacket duo made quick work of Augusto Alvarado of Georgia State and Mark Paetz of Georgia Southern for an 8-2 win.
Kenny, a freshman from Roswell, Ga., rebounded from a first round loss on Friday with a first round, 6-4, 6-2, consolation win over Andreas Amores of Jacksonville State in the Hannah singles consolation draw. After a quarterfinal round bye, Kenny breezed pass Marko Zivkovic of Troy, 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinals.
In the Stallings singles consolation draw, Muguruza picked up a first round win over James Lloyd of Radford. After falling behind in the first set, Muguruza stormed back for a 2-6, 6-2, 1-0(3) victory. With a quarterfinal bye, Muguruza was able to rest for his semifinal match against Eduardo Saratt of Jacksonville State. Muguruza worked off his early season rustiness with a straight set 6-3, 7-5 win.
“It was great that Jose got a chance to play a few matches,” head coach Kenny Thorne said. “He needed to get on the court and he definitely is playing a lot better.”
Scott Blackmon picked up a quarterfinal 7-6(4), 6-4 victory in the Stabler singles draw over Eric Turner of NC State. The Tech senior fought through a first-set tiebreaker to earn the win. In the semifinals, Blackmon was unable to continue his run, falling 6-2, 6-2 to Sammy Struyf of Alabama.
Freshman Eliot Potvin dropped a first-set tiebreaker in his 7-6(5), 6-2 loss to Bastian Maucher of Troy. Also dropping a quarterfinal match was Ryan Smith, who fell to Mahmoud Kamel of Pepperdine, 6-3, 6-4.
“Ryan played very well today,” Thorne said. “He had a real battle that didn’t show in the final score. The other just played a little better.”
Hannah Singles Consolation
(R16) D. Kenny (GT) d. A. Amores (Jack St), 6-4, 6-2
(QF) D. Kenny (GT) – Bye
(SF) D. Kenny (GT) d. M. Zivkovic (Troy), 6-2, 6-0
Musso Singles Consolation
(R16) S. Soloman (Jack St) d. G. Gvelesiani (GT), 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-4
Namath Singles
(QF) M. Kamel (Pepperdine) d. R. Smith (GT), 6-3, 6-4
Stabler Singles
(QF) S. Blackmon (GT) d. E. Turner (NCST), 7-6(4), 6-4
(SF) S. Struyf (Alabama) d. S. Blackmon (GT), 6-2, 6-2
(QF) B. Maucher (Troy) d. E. Potvin (GT), 7-6(5), 6-2
Stallings Singles Consolation
(R16) J. Lloyd (Radford) d. J. Muguruza (GT), 2-6, 6-2, 1-0(3)
(QF) J. Muguruza (GT) – Bye
(SF) J. Muguruza (GT) d. E. Saratt (Jack St), 6-3, 7-5
Red Doubles Consolation
(R16) Turner/Welte (NCST) d. Muguruza/Potvin (GT), 8-5
Tide Doubles Consolation
(R16) Gvelesiani/Kenny (GT) d. Craveiro/Oliveira (Jack St), Wo (Ill)
(QF) Gvelesiani/Kenny (GT) – Bye
(SF) Gvelesiani/Kenny (GT) d. Alvarado (GA State)/Paetz (Georgia So), 8-2
– RamblinWreck.com –
