College Tennis News - Drabble, McMorrow March On At NW Regionals

Washington goes a combined 12-2 on Saturday in singles and doubles.

BERKELEY, Calif. – Washington men’s tennis advanced one senior and one freshman on into the Round of 16 today at the ITA Northwest Regionals hosted by California. Veteran Derek Drabble and rookie Kyle McMorrow both posted wins over higher-seeded opponents, and the Huskies also went 4-1 in the first rounds of doubles play.

Playing at the Hellman Tennis Complex, Drabble and McMorrow, each seeded on the No. 17 line, stepped up to knock out two of the tourney’s No. 9 seeds. Drabble had an easy go against Kyle Dandan of Santa Clara, winning 6-3, 6-2. The youngster McMorrow prevailed over Mirko Zapletal, a senior from Fresno State who played No. 2 singles last year for the Bulldogs.

Next up McMorrow will face another freshman from Cal, Chris Konigsfeldt, who upset top-seeded Alex Clayton of Stanford today. Drabble will play fifth-seeded Kiryl Harbatsiuk of Sacramento State.

Doubles play kicked off today, and the Huskies advanced three teams into the Round of 16. Drabble and freshman Nick Tchernikov opened with a win over a Portland duo, then scored a big upset over the fifth-seeded team of de Villiers and Veerepalli from Fresno State, 9-8 (1). McMorrow and junior Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan teamed up for the first time and rolled over the Oregon tandem of Izquierdo and Bjerke, 8-1. Juniors Tobi Obenaus and Alex Rosisnski had a first round bye and then had a quick 8-3 win over a Gonzaga duo.

Nedunchezhiyan’s 7-6 (4), 6-1 loss to Stanford’s Matt Kandath was the only tough result of the day for the Dawgs. Washington went a combined 6-0 in consolation singles play. Obenaus, Rosisnski, and sophomore Matt Stith all earned two wins each, all in straight sets.

Sunday will feature the round of 16 and quarterfinals in singles play, and the round of 16 in doubles play.

Washington Men’s Tennis

ITA Northwest Regional Championships

10/24/09 – Berkeley, Calif.

Hellman Tennis Center

Singles

Round of 32

(17) Derek Drabble (UW) def. (9) Kyle Dandan (SCU), 6-3, 6-2

(17) Kyle McMorrow (UW) def. (9) Mirko Zapletal (FSU), 7-5, 6-2

(17) Matt Kandath (Stan) def. (3) Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (UW), 7-6 (4), 6-1

Singles Consolation

First Round

Tobi Obenaus (UW) def. Conor Feeney (Gonz), 6-3, 6-0

Alex Rosinski (UW) def. Evan Schleining (UP), 6-2, 6-2

Matt Stith (UW) def. Jack Horowitz (UCD), 6-2, 7-5

Second Round

Tobi Obenaus (UW) def. Ted Kelly (Stan), 6-0, 6-1

Alex Rosinski (UW) def. Eugene Muchynski (SCU), 6-2, 6-4

Matt Stith (UW) def. Mauricio Villa (SCU), 6-4, 6-1

Doubles

Round of 64

Drabble/Tchernikov (UW) def. Hernandez/Pigou (UP), 8-6

Zapletal/Leiby (FSU) def. Stith/Tateishi (UW), 8-5

(5) Nedunchezhiyan/McMorrow (UW), BYE

(9) Rosinski/Obenaus (UW), BYE

Round of 32

(5) Nedunchezhiyan/McMorrow (UW) def. Izquierdo/Bjerke (Ore), 8-1

(9) Rosinski/Obenaus (UW) def. Dojcak/Sullivan (Gonz), 8-3

Drabble/Tchernikov (UW) def. (5) de Villiers/Veerepalli (FSU), 9-8 (1)