University of Washington Team Page

TULSA, Okla. – Two of Washington’s top returning men’s tennis players, Marton Bots and Emmett Egger, got the fall season officially underway this afternoon and did so in about as strong a fashion as could be hoped for, as both posted victories over ranked opponents. Bots and Egger are among the large and loaded field at the 2012 ITA All-American Championships, the first of three majors in college tennis.

Hosted by the University of Tulsa at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center, the All-American Championships start with a field of several hundred players competing in pre-qualifying. After four rounds, the survivors join another large group of players beginning their runs in the qualifying draw, which is where Bots and Egger started today.

Sixteen players from this 128-player qualifying bracket will earn three victories and move on to the main draw later this week. Washington senior Kyle McMorrow has an automatic bid through to the main draw. Bots and Egger will now need two more wins apiece tomorrow to join McMorrow.

But today was a good start in and of itself. Bots, currently ranked 71st nationally and seeded 14th in the qualifying draw, faced a tough opener against 97th-ranked Peerakit Siributwong of Oklahoma. Bots shook off the rust in a 1-6 first set loss, then came back to win the next two sets, 6-2, 6-4 to advance. Siributwong was ranked as high as No. 39 last year in singles and started at fourth singles on Oklahoma’s Big 12 Championship winning squad.

Later in the afternoon, Egger, ranked 116th, played his rankings neighbor Jadon Phillips of New Mexico, who is ranked 117th by the ITA. Phillips, a senior, was an NCAA Doubles qualifier last year. Egger proved too solid today, winning in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.

Tomorrow Egger will take on Pac-12 foe Roberto Quiroz of USC, who is ranked 85th. Bots goes against Pedro Dumont of Mississippi State.

2012-13 Washington Men’s Tennis

ITA All-American Championships

Tulsa, Okla. – Michael D. Case Tennis Center

 

Singles Qualifying – First Round

(116) Emmett Egger (UW) def. (117) Jadon Phillips (UNM), 6-3, 6-3

(71) Marton Bots (14-seed) (UW) def. (97) Peerakit Siributwong (Okla), 1-6, 6-2, 6-4