Kontopoulos advances to semifinals, falls one win shy of consolation championship at ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech tennis junior Fanis Kontopoulos' fantastic run in the consolation draw of the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships came to an end Sunday afternoon with a heart-breaking, three-set loss in the semifinals.
SUNDAY 10/14 RECAP
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech tennis junior Fanis Kontopoulos' fantastic run in the consolation draw of the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships came to an end Sunday afternoon with a heart-breaking, three-set loss in the semifinals.
Kontopoulos, a newcomer from North Carolina Central, kicked off the day with a monster, three-set victory in the quarterfinals. Facing off against Middle Tennessee's Tom Moonen in a 10:00 a.m. CT tilt, the Golden Eagle dropped a close first set, (7-5). He quickly rebounded for a win in the second set, forcing the third try against Moonen with a (6-2) decision. In the third and decisive set, it was Kontopoulos who came out on top, capturing the (10-6) win.
Moving on to the semifinals, the Greek junior matched up with East Tennessee State's Juan Lugo and turned in an incredible effort in an exhiliarting finish. Kontopoulos earned the victory in the first set (6-3), but Lugo was quick to turn the tables in set two, evening things up with a (6-3) win. The two traded blows in the third set, but it was Lugo who would come out on top with the slgithest of edges, defeating Kontopoulos (10-8).
Also in action for the Golden Eagles on Sunday was rookie Carlos Vicente. The Tech freshman was upended in his consolation draw quarterfinal match by Kerim Hyatt of Chattanooga, (6-1, 7-6 (6)).
Next on the dockett for the Tech tennis quad is the Louisville Invitational in Louisville, Ky. Friday, Oct. 19 through Sunday, Oct. 21.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
SATURDAY 10/13 RECAP
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Both Tennessee Tech tennis student-athletes still in competition at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships stayed alive Saturday afternoon, as both Fanis Kontopoulos and Carlos Vicente collected multiple wins to advance to the quarterfinals of the consolation draw.
A junior transfer from North Carolina Central, Kontopoulos dropped Ohio Valley Conference rival Belmont's Jake Briggs in straight sets, (6-3, 7-5). With the win, he advanced to the round of 16.
Taking on Bradley Luetschwager of IUPUI, the Corinthos, Greece native lost a heartbreaker in the first set (6-7 (4)), but rallied for a quick and efficient win in the second (6-2). He then worked a victory in set three (10-7) to move on to a quarterfinal match-up against Middle Tennessee's Tom Moonen on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. CT.
As for Vicente, the rookie also earned a straight-sets victory in his first battle of the day, defeating Jeremy Taylor of Memphis (6-1, 6-3). He continued his hot run into the round of 16, squaring off against in-state rival East Tennessee State's Adam O'Shannessy.
The Spaniard freshman made quick and easy work of his opponent to advance to the quarterfinals, earning his second win of the day in straight sets (6-1, 6-1). He is set for a 10:00 a.m. match on Sunday against Kerim Hyatt of Chattanooga.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
FRIDAY 10/12 RECAP
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech tennis freshman Rafael Tosetto advanced to the third round of the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships Friday, earning his second victory of the event before eventually falling in an incredible, three-set thriller.
The rookie took on IUPUI's Alex Jochim early Friday morning at the University of Tennessee, dismissing his opponent in straight sets (6-1, 6-1). He followed it up with a first-set victory (6-3) over Antonio Cembellin of Indiana to kick off the third round of action. The two fought tooth-and-nail in the second set, but Cembellin eventually edged out Tosetto (7-6 (4)) before taking the match with the third and final set victory (6-3).
Three other Golden Eagles played their second match of the single main draw on Friday as well. Sophomore Riku Kubota squared off with Ohio Valley Conference rival Hendrik Inno of Belmont, falling (6-2, 6-1) in back-to-back sets.
Freshman Elias Grubert took on Xavier's Brett Winters in a 10:00 a.m. CT tilt, falling in two sets (6-0, 7-5). Rounding out the Tech players still in action in the main draw was senior Wenceslao Albin. The veteran matched-up against former teammate David Gonzalez of East Tennessee State, dropping a two-set decision (7-5, 6-2).
In consolation action, two Tech players kept their tournaments alive with victories. Newcomer Fanis Kontopoulos out-lasted Memphis' David Stevenson in the first set of their match (7-6 (4)). He then made realtively quick work in the second set, winning (6-2) to move on to a next round. He will compete against OVC foe Jake Briggs of Belmont at 11:00 a.m.
Rookie Carlos Vicente captured a victory over Ball State's Chris Adams (6-3, 6-2) to move on to Saturday play. He will meet Jeremy Taylor of Memphis in a 10:00 a.m. match. Rounding out singles action was Gonzalo Garcia, who fell to Belmont's Joan Valy in a consolation bout, (7-6 (6), 6-3).
In the doubles draw, the Tech tandem of Kontopoulos and Albin was eliminated from play in an (8-3) decision against the Tennessee duo of Timo Stodder and Preston Touliatos.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
THURSDAY 10/11 RECAP
By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Four Golden Eagles claimed victory in their respective opening-round singles clashes, helping highlight the Tennessee Tech tennis team's day one showing at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships, hosted by the University of Tennessee for the fourth-consecutive year.
Rafael Tosetto, Riku Kubota, Elias Grubert and Wenceslao Albin all triumphed during singles play, while the TTU tandem of Albin and junior Fanis Kontopoulos were victorious during doubles action.
Tosetto, a Golden Eagle freshman out of Jacarei, Brazil, secured a 6-3, 6-2 straight-set win over Dayton's Joe DeMarco in Thursday's opening round. Tosetto will greet IUPUI's Alex Jochim in Friday's second round, set to begin at 8:30 a.m. CT from the Knoxville Racquet Club.
Sophomore Riku Kubota rolled to a straight-set nod over Lipscomb's Pablo Caffarena, edging the Bisons' junior 6-2, 6-4 in his first-round bout. Kubota will lock up with Belmont's Henrik Inno in Friday's second round, slated to start at 8:30 a.m. CT from the Knoxville Racquet Club.
Freshman Elias Grubert was also victorious in his first-round affair behind a 6-3, 6-2 nod over Wright State's Brandon Leighton. The Golden Eagle rookie out of Parana, Argentina will square off with Xavier's Brett Winters Friday at 10 a.m. CT from the Knoxville Racquet Club.
Junior Wenceslao Albin rounded out Tech's quarter of first-round winners with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Wright State's Param Pun. Albin will lock up with ETSU's David Gonzalez in a Friday second-round matchup beginning at 10 a.m. CT from the Knoxville Racquet Club.
Fanis Kontopoulos took Purdue's Stephan Koenigsfest to three sets in the first round, but ultimately the TTU junior was edged 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. Kontopoulos will turn his attention to the consolation bracket where he will see David Stevenson out of Memphis Friday at 8:30 a.m. CT.
Tech freshman Carlos Vicente dropped his opening-round singles clash with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 defeat to Butler's Ryan Roegner. Vicente will connect with Ball State's Chris Adam's in Friday's consolation bracket. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
Sophomore Gonzalo Garcia was tripped up by Butler's Michael Dickson with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 loss in Thursday's first round. Garcia will now set his sights on Belmont's J. Valy in Friday's consolation match at 4 p.m. CT.
As far as doubles play is concerned, Tech's duo of Fanis Kontopoulos and Wenceslao Albin checked the win column in Thursday's first-round battle with an 8-7(5) triumph over Chattanooga's Cooper Long and Jacob Marshall. Kontopoulos and Albin will meet UT's Timo Stodder and Preston Touliatos in Friday's second round at 7 a.m. CT.
Tech's sophomore tandem of Riku Kubota and Gonzalo Garcia fell 8-4 to Chattanooga's Simon Bustamante and Niklas Gerdes, while TTU's freshman duo of Rafael Tosetto and Elias Grubert were upended 8-0 by ETSU's Yusuf Khamis and Frazier Rengifo.
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
