URBANA, Ill. - Just 16 singles players are left in the NCAA Singles Championship, including Sebastian Fanselow and Alex Sarkissian of the Pepperdine men's tennis team. Both players won in their second-round matches while playing indoors due to rain, sending two Waves into the third round for the first time since the 2008 season.
By virtue of making the round of 16, Sarkissian (Glendale, Calif./Glendale CC) secured ITA All-American honors. Fanselow (Essen, Germany/Kaplan College Prep) was already guaranteed All-American status for earning a top-16 seed in the 64-person bracket.
Sarkissian, ranked #62 in the ITA singles rankings, was untouchable versus Ryan Lipman of Vanderbilt. Although Lipman is ranked #10 and was seeded in the tournament, Sarkissian won by a convincing score of 6-3, 6-0.
Fanselow's win didn't come quite as easily, and it took a tiebreaker in the third set to earn the "W." After #56 Guillermo Alcorta of Oklahoma escaped with a 7-5 win in the opening frame, Fanselow responded with a 6-3 triumph in the second.
The two elite players battled all the way to a 6-6 tie in the third, and were equally matched in the tiebreaker. Fanselow eventually won 10-8 to make his second-ever appearance in the round of 16 at the NCAA Singles Championship.
The senior previously reached the round of 16 during his sophomore campaign after beating second seeded Alex Domijan and John Peers in the first two rounds.
In doubles action, Finn Tearney (Wellington, New Zealand/Wellington College) and Francis Alcantara (Cagayan de Oro, Philippines/Fresno State) were evenly matched against Stephane Piro and Bob van Overbeek but ultimately fell short in the 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 decision.
Sarkissian will go up against Tulsa's #41 Japie De Klerk and Fanselow is set to face #8 Peter Kobelt of Ohio State tomorrow, May 24.
For live stats and video, visit the NCAA Tournament Central or follow the men's tennis team on Twitter @PeppTennis.
Tennis Tournament Results
NCAA Singles & Doubles Championship
May 22-27, 2013 at Urbana, Ill. (Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex)
Singles
R2 #11>Sebastian Fanselow (Pepperdine) def. #58 Guillermo Alcorta (Oklahoma) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (10-8)
R2 #62>Alex Sarkissian (Pepperdine) def. #10 Ryan Lipman (Vanderbilt) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles
#20 Stephane Piro/Bob van Overbeek (Florida) def. #43 Francis Alcantara/Finn Tearney (Pepperdine) 7-6, 4-6, 6-4
