Oct. 22, 2006
Chapel Hill, N.C. – Georgia Tech’s dynamic doubles duo of juniors David North and George Gvelesiani made an impressive run to the finals of the Wilson/ITA Men’s Mideast Indoor Regional Championships, but lost in a tiebreaker Sunday to Alex Cojanu and Colin O’Brien of William & Mary. The Jacket tandem held a 7-4 lead over their No. 3 seed opponent, but couldn’t hold on losing the title match 9-8(0).
North and Gvelesiani opened the day with their semifinals match-up vs. The Citadel’s Daniel Dossetor and James Eason, who they defeated 8-5.
This weekend’s tournament, played at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center on the campus of The University of North Carolina, marks the first time North and Gvelesiani have paired in doubles competition.
“David (North) and George (Gvelesiani) played doubles at an extremely high level, and it was exciting to watch a team this young who have never played together, do so well,” said Georgia Tech’s assistant coach, Josh Hausman. “We’re a strong doubles team and our performance this weekend goes to show the amount of depth we have in our lineup.”
On their run to the doubles finals, North and Gvelesiani, a No. 12 seed, defeated James Madison’s Mike Smith and Jesse Tarr, 8-3, in the opening round Thursday, then defeated William and Mary’s Kavi Sud and Keziel Juneau, 8-6. In Friday’s Round of 32, they eliminated Sergi Arumi and Arnaud Lecloerec of Virginia Commonwealth in an 8-3 victory. The pair advanced to the doubles semifinals when they defeated Corey Parr and Charles Sartor of Wake Forest, 8-6.
The 2006 ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships is the second of three national championship events for college tennis this season. The ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships feature a 32-player singles field and 16-team doubles field for men and women, including: qualifiers from these Wilson/ITA Regional Championships held across the country, the ITA National Small College champions, top performers from the ITA All-American Championships and at-large card selections made by the ITA National Tournament Committee.
The Yellow Jackets will travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala. for the Alabama Fall Tournament, Oct. 26-29 for their next competition.
Georgia Tech in Main Draw Singles:
(R1) Scott Blackmon (GT) def. Tristan Heinrich (UNC), 7-5, 7-6(4)
(R1) George Gvelesiani (GT) def. Joaquin Turley (MSU), 6-2, 6-1
(R1) Jordan Delass (GT) advance via bye
(R1) David North (GT) advance via bye
(R2) Harel Srugo (ODU) def. Blackmon (GT), 6-4, 6-1
(R2) Jean-Yves Aubone (FSU) def. Gvelesiani (GT), 6-2, 6-1
(R2) Enrique Olivares (ETSU) def. Delass (GT), 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-3
(R2) North (GT) def. Andrew Stubbs (WOF), 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
(R3) North (GT) def. Eidy Igarashi (ODU), 6-2, 6-4
(R4) Treat Huey (UVA) def. North (GT), 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-1
Georgia Tech in Main Draw Doubles:
(R1) Blackmon/Delass (GT) advance via w/o injury
(R1) North/Gvelesiani (GT) def. Mike Smith/Jesse Tarr (JMU), 8-3
(R2) Jermaine Jenkins/Paul Keonke (CLEM) def. Blackmon/Delass (GT), 8-3
(R2) North/Gvelesiani (GT) def. Kavi Sud/Keziel Juneau (WMU), 8-6
(R3) North/Gvelesiani (GT) def. Sergi Arumi/Arnaud Lecloerec (VCU), 8-3
(R4) North/Gvelesiani (GT) def. Corey Parr/Charles Sartor (WFU), 8-6
(Semifinals) North/Gvelesiani (GT) def. Daniel Dossetor/James (CIT), 8-5
(Finals) Alex Cojanu/Colin O’Brien (WMU), def. North/Gvelesiani (GT), 9-8
–GT–
