Tosetto advances to ITA All-American Championships qualifying final, falls to UNC's Cemoch
TULSA, Okla. – The incredible run of Tennessee Tech tennis freshman Rafael Tosetto at the Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Championships came to end Tuesday evening, although not without one more moment of success to build on for the future.
TUESDAY 10/2 RECAP
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
TULSA, Okla. – The incredible run of Tennessee Tech tennis freshman Rafael Tosetto at the Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Championships came to end Tuesday evening, although not without one more moment of success to build on for the future.
Squaring off against Cleveland State's Nico Mostardi in the second round of the Qualifying Draw, a player who dismissed Kentucky's Enzo Wallart in the first round, Tosetto kept his run through the tournament alive. The Golden Eagle took down Mostardi in straight sets (6-4, 6-3) to advance to the third and final round of qualifying, just a victory away from a spot in the illustrious event.
Facing Tosetto in that third-round match-up was North Carolina's Brian Cernoch, who in the first round upset No. 1 seeded Matteo De Vincentis of Auburn. The Tar Heel defeated Tosetto (6-1, 6-1), ending the Tech rookie's great run.
Tosetto closed the event an impressive 6-1 over four days, showing impressive grit along the way that will translate well into the remainder of the fall season and the spring season to come.
MONDAY 10/1 RECAP
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
TULSA, Okla. – Rafael Tosetto's captivating run at the Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Championships will continue thanks to another victory in the freshman's back pocket.
Having already advanced out of the pre-qualifying portion of the premier tournament with four wins in two days, Tosetto carried the momentum over with a victory in Monday's first round of qualifying action. The TTU rookie out of Jacarei, Brazil edged Tulane's Hamish Stewart behind a 6-3, 6-4 win.
Tosetto will now clash with Cleveland State's Nico Mostardi for an 8 a.m. CT second-round bout Tuesday morning. Mostardi secured a 6-4, 6-4 victory against Kentucky's Enzo Wallart in Monday's first round.
Should Tosetto take down Wallart, the Golden Eagle newcomer will meet the winner of North Carolina's Brian Cernoch and Oklahoma State's Maxim Tybar in the third round, set for later in the day on Tuesday.
SUNDAY 9/30 RECAP
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
TULSA, Okla. – Rafael Tosetto's impressive run at the Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Championships picked up steam with two more victories to advance out of the prequalifying-singles portion of the tournament.
Having already captured a pair of wins on Saturday's first day of the tournament, Tosetto took down Florida State's Rana-Roop Singh Bullar in straight-sets, seizing the battle 7-6, 6-3 in the Round of 64. The Tech freshman out of Jacarei, Brazil then topped Northern Arizona's Lucas Taylor behind a 6-2, 7-6 win in the Round of 32 to advance to the qualifying singles part of the tournament.
Tosetto will greet Tulane's Hamish Stewart in Monday's first round of the ITA Men's All-American Championships qualifying singles. The clash is slated for an 11 a.m. CT start.
Three other Golden Eagles competed in the tourney's consolation bracket, with two Tech players notching wins on the day.
Junior Fanis Kontopoulos triumphed over Blake Sprouse of Oral Roberts with a 6-0, 6-3 nod, while Lucca Silva secured a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Scott Hjelm of Oral Roberts.
Elias Grubert rounded out Tech's action with a 6-2, 7-6 loss to Loyola Marymount's Nick Borchenko.
SATURDAY 9/29 RECAP
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
TULSA, Okla. – With four members of the Tennessee Tech tennis team competing at the Saint Francis Health System ITA Men's All-American Championships, it was freshman Rafael Tosetto who advanced the furthest on Saturday.
The Jacareí, Brazil native claimed back-to-back victories in the massive field of over 250, advancing to the round of 64. Tosetto earned a tough-fought victory over Sebastian Santibanez of Lamar to start the day, winning (7-5, 7-6(4)). He then tamed Old Dominion's Francois Musitelli in straight sets (6-4, 6-4) to set up an 8:00 a.m. CT match-up against Rana-Roop Singh Bhullar of Florida State on Sunday.
Elias Grubert, a freshman out of Parana, Argentina, also earned a victory on the day, dismissing UAB's Giovani Pasini with a thrilling, two-set match. After claiming a swift, 6-1 win in set one, he outlasted Pasini in set two, 7-6 (7). In the second round, USC's Jake DeVine edged out Grubert in two sets (7-5, 6-4).
Newcomer Fanis Kontopoulos fell at the hands of Columbia's Jason Lui in the first round (6-2, 6-4). The Tech junior will square off with Alan Nunez Aguilera of St. John's in a 9:00 a.m. consolation match.
São Paulo, Brazil native Lucca Silva rounded out the Golden Eagle participants. The freshman lost a three-set heartbreaker to Ethan Nittolo of Buffalo (2-6, 6-2, 6-2) in the first round, setting up a consolation bout on Saturday against Scott Hjelm of Oral Roberts at 8:00 a.m.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
