SAN DIEGO, CALIF. -- Two USC men's tennis freshmen went big in San Diego this past weekend, winning it all at the Aztec Invitational. Freshmen Robbie Bellamy and Nick Crystal combined forces with authority as they cruised through the doubles draw to win the championship there, while Bellamy made it a solo mission in singles with a fight to the finish to win the singles crown.
The two USC newcomers were playing their first competitions as Trojans, and certainly made their presence known with the weekend's successes. Bellamy posted straight-set wins in all rounds but the quarterfinals, where he pulled off a 7-6, 3-6, 1-0 (10-3) win over Tawasi to advance. Bellamy would then go on to take down two UCLA opponents in the next two rounds, topping Tachi in the semis and then Digiulio in the title match to bring home the singles crown.
In doubles, Bellamy and Crystal blasted through four opposing pairs, knocking off teams from San Diego and San Diego State in the first two rounds before dispatching two Arizona duos in the semis and final. The title match was decidedly in Trojan control, as Bellamy/Crystal served up an 8-3 win over Arizona's Ask/Takeda to win the championship.
The Trojans will next reconvene in San Francisco next weekend at the Battle in the Bay, Oct. 11-13.
2013 AZTEC INVITATIONAL
SINGLES - FLIGHT 1
Round of 16 - Oct. 4
Robbie Bellamy (USC) def. H. Ponufu (UCSD) - 6-1, 6-2
Quarterfinals - Oct. 5
Robbie Bellamy (USC) def. M. Tawasi (SDSU) - 7-6, 3-6, 1-0 (10-3)
Semifinals - Oct. 5
Robbie Bellamy (USC) def. R. Tachi (UCLA) - 6-3, 6-1
Championship - Oct. 6
Robbie Bellamy (USC) def. J. Digiulio (UCLA) - 6-4, 6-3
DOUBLES
Round of 32 - Oct. 4
Bellamy/Crystal (USC) - bye
Round of 16 - Oct. 5
Bellamy/Crystal (USC) def. Carlisle/Hall (USD) - 8-3
Quarterfinals - Oct. 5
Bellamy/Crystal (USC) def. Florez/Meinzer (SDSU) - 8-5
Semifinals - Oct. 6
Bellamy/Crystal (USC) def. Bermudez/Dunn (ARIZ) - 8-6
Championship - Oct. 6
Bellamy/Crystal (USC) def. Ask/Takeda (ARIZ) - 8-3
