Sunday, 01/24/2010

NORCROSS, Ga. – The 29th-ranked LSU men’s tennis team advanced two players to the round of 16 at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships hosted at the Racquet Club of the South and notched a grand total of seven victories on Friday.

 

Junior Sebastian Carlsson and sophomore Neal Skupski both reached the round of 16 after close matches.

 

Carlsson narrowly edged out first-round opponent Chris Thiemann of Ole Miss 7-6 (3), 7-6 (6) before moving into the second round where he cruised past Christian Vitulli of Georgia, 6-4, 6-1. In the round of 16, Carlsson will take on top-seeded and second-ranked J.P. Smith of Tennessee.

 

Skupski received a first-round bye as the tournament’s fourth seed. In the second round, the Liverpool, England, native defeated Mississippi State’s Louis Cant, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Skupski’s will move on to face Georgia’s Nate Schnugg in the next round of competition.

 

LSU also moved a duo into the doubles round of 16. Carlsson and Gauthier defeated Tennessee’s Ed Jones and Bryan Swartz 8-2 in the opening round. The Tiger tandem will take on third-seeded and 10th ranked Antoine Benneteau and Alex Lacroix.

 

LSU players Cody Loup, Julien Gauthier and Mark Bowtell each earned a first-round victory.

 

Three Tigers will enter the consolation brackets. James Turbervill will square off against Mississippi State’s Hrehan Hakeem, Roger Anderson will take on Ole Miss’ Jaime Vazquez and Stefan Szacinski will receive a first-round bye.

 

“Our guys played a lot of quality matches today,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said. “It was exciting to see Neal and Sebastian are continuing to improve and are getting wins in the spring. We are starting to see the team finally come together.”

 

Main draw singles competition resumes at 8:30 a.m. CDT for the Tigers. Carlsson and Gauthier will be in action at 11:30 a.m. for the chance to advance into the doubles quarterfinals.

 

 

SEC Indoor Championships

Jan. 15-18

Racquet Club of the South

Norcross, Ga.

 

Singles

Round of 64

 

Sebastian Carlsson (LSU) def. Chris Thiemann (OM), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (6)

Cody Loup (LSU) def. Bryan Swartz (UT), 6-2, 4-6, 6-2

Jaime Hunt (UGA) def. James Turbervill (LSU), 6-0, 6-4

Julien Gauthier (LSU) def. Harry Fowler (OM), 7-5, 6-3

Joey Burkhardt (UF) def. Roger Anderson (LSU), 6-1, 6-4

Bob van Overbeek (UF) def. Stefan Szacinski (LSU), 7-6 (2), 6-3

Mark Bowtell (LSU) def. Max Gregor (MSU), 6-1, 2-1, ret.

 

Round of 32

Sebastian Carlsson (LSU) def. Christian Vitulli (UGA), 6-4, 6-1

 Javier Garrapiz (UGA) def. Cody Loup (LSU), 6-1, 6-2

Sekou Bangoura (UF) def. Julien Gauthier (LSU), 6-2, 6-1

Neal Skupski (LSU) def. Louis Cant (MSU), 6-4, 7-6 (5)

Alex Lacroix (UF) def. Mark Bowtell (LSU) 6-2, 6-3

 

Doubles

Round of 32

M. Thiemann/C. Thiemann (OM) def. Skupski/Szacinski (LSU), 9-8 (6)

Carlsson/Gauthier (LSU) def. Jones/Swartz (UT), 8-2

Lambropoulos/Gonzalez (UK) def. Bowtell/Loup (LSU), 8-6

Conkic/T. Sandgren (UT) def. Anderson/Turbervill (LSU), 8-3

 

Jan. 16

 

Round of 16

Sebastian Carlsson (LSU) vs. J.P. Smith (UT), 8:30 a.m.

Neal Skupski vs. Nate Schnugg (UGA), 9 a.m.

 

Consolation

James Turbervill (LSU) vs. Hrehan Hakeem (MSU), 8 a.m.

Roger Anderson vs. Vazquez (OM), 8 a.m.

 

Doubles

Carlsson/Gauthier vs. Lacroix/Benneteau, 11:30 a.m.