AUBURN, Ala. – Day one at the 2019 ITA Southern Regional Qualifying was a good one for Mississippi State as four Bulldogs advanced to Friday's final round of qualifying.
Sophomore Gregor Ramksogler, the top seed in qualifying, received a first-round bye. He then met Jacksonville State's Dimitrli Vasilev in his first match of the day, cruising comfortably to a 6-2, 6-2 win. Ramskogler will now play Friday morning in the final round of qualifying against Johannes Klein of New Orleans.
Sophomore Stedman Strickland met Louisiana-Lafayette's Silio Cocita in the first round, falling in a tough 7-5, 6-4 bout. Strickland posted a hard-fought consolation victory over Jacksonville State's Sergio Lizarraga, 2-6, 7-6(2), 1-0(5). Strickland will play another consolation match Friday.
Junior Florian Broska, the No. 3 seed, cruised comfortably past Samford's Mohammad Bellalouna in a 6-2, 6-2 first-round victory. In his second-round match, Broska met New Orleans' Misha Fomenkov, posting a 6-4, 6-4 triumph. Broska's final round matchup will come again Ajaz Kaolja of Jacksonville State.
True freshman Isaac Becroft looked to continue his impressive fall campaign after last week's performance at the Georgia Tech Invitational where he reached the finals in his draw. Becroft, the No. 15 seed, met Jacksonville State's Jordi Blanchar in his first-round match, cruising to a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Becroft then met Kacper Dworak of Lousisiana-Layafette, winning 6-1, 6-3. He will meet the No. 4 seed from Ole Miss, Simon Junk, in the final round Friday.
Fellow freshman Nicolas Ocana, the No. 7 seed, continued to add to the win column on the day as he faced Alabama State's Luka Markovic, notching a 6-4, 6-1 victory.
find the best acca Ocana then met UAB's Daniel Janko, pulling out a 6-2, 5-7, 7-6(8) marathon victory. Ocana will play in the final round of qualifying Friday morning against No. 10 seed Tom Dollman of tournament host Auburn.
Following the final round of singles qualifying Friday morning, the first round of main draw doubles will be held. State's pair of Broska and Strickland is the No. 4 seed overall, Ramskogler and Tortora are No. 6 , while Becroft and Ocana round out MSU's tandems that will compete this weekend.
MSU at the ITA Southern Regional Championships
October 17, 2019 – Auburn, Alabama
Singles - Qualifying
First Round - Silio Cocito (ULL) def. Stedman Strickland 7-5, 6-4: Florian Broska (MSU) [3] def. Mohammad Bellalouna (Samford) 6-2, 6-2; Isaac Becroft (MSU) [15] def. Jordi Blanchar (Jackson State) 6-1, 6-2; Nicolas Ocana (MSU) [7] def. Luka Markovic (Alabama State) 6-4, 6-1
Round of 32 - Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) [1] def. Dimitrli Vasilev (Jackson State) 6-2, 6-2; Broska (MSU) [3] def. Misha Fomenkov (New Orleans) 6-4, 6-4; Becroft (MSU) [15] def. Kacper Dworak (ULL) 6-1, 6-3; Ocana (MSU) [7] def. Daniel Janko (UAB) 6-2, 5-7, 7-6(8)
Consolation - Stedman Strickland def. Sergio Lizarraga (Jackson State) 2-6, 7-6(2), 1-0(5)
by Graham Murphree, Student Assistant/Communications
