Sunday, 11/01/2009

Crimson Tide picks up 10 wins on Friday

 

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men’s tennis team opened up the 2009 Crimson Tide Fall Championships in dominating fashion, collecting 10 wins on the day. All ten wins came in singles, as rain washed out the majority of doubles play.

 

“It was a solid first day for us, and we were able to get a lot of matches under our belt,” said head coach Billy Pate. “The guys competed well, and we will hope to continue that on Saturday.”

 

Six different players recorded at least one win during the day’s action, with five of those players still alive in the main draw of their respective brackets. Sophomore Ricky Doverspike was the only Alabama netter to drop a match, falling in the opening round of the Bryant draw to fellow sophomore Shaye Wali of Tulane 7-5, 6-3. Doverspike slipped into the consolation bracket, where he got back on track with a three-set win over Tennessee’s freshman Ed Jones 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

 

In the Namath draw, sophomore Michael Davis cruised to the semifinals with two easy wins. He knocked off senior Justin Flynn of Georgia Southern 6-1, 6-4, and followed that up with a 7-5 6-2 victory over Tulane’s freshman Rodrigo Rappaccioli.

 

The Tide has two players still alive in the main draw of the Stabler Bracket. Sophomore Michael Thompson survived a tough three set match against junior Michael Gaerthoeffner of Memphis, claiming the win 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-3. Thompson was locked in a battle with Tennessee’s redshirt freshman Max Stevens, dropping the first set 7-6 but earning a 3-1 lead in the second, before the match was suspended due to rain. Junior Trey Walston has already advanced to the semifinals in the Stabler Bracket after collecting two straight sets victories. He defeated senior Christopher Duke of Jacksonville State 7-6 (2), 6-1 in the opening round before easily knocking off Vanderbilt’s senior James Moye 6-1, 6-2.

 

Alabama also has two players alive in main draw of the Musso bracket, with freshman Harris Barnard and sophomore Creighton Blanchard advancing to the semifinals. Barnard was pushed to three sets in his opening match against sophomore Felipe Sylva of Southern Mississippi, but fought his way to a 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 win. He then faced off against junior Rick van de Bovenkamp of Middle Tennessee, with Barnard winning in two tight sets, 6-4, 7-5. Blanchard breezed by senior Alex McCann of Middle Tennessee 6-2, 6-1 in the opening round, but was faced with a much stiffer test in the next round. He managed to take the opening set in a tiebreak over UAB’s junior John Hollimon, but the Blazer responded by taking the second in a tiebreak. The third was close the entire way, with Blanchard winning 6-4.

 

Play continues at 9:00 a.m. (CST) on Saturday, but that is subject to change if rain becomes a factor.

 

RESULTS

Singles

Shaye Wali (TUL) def. Ricky Doverspike (UA) 7-5, 6-3

Ricky Doverspike (UA) def. Ed Jones (UT) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1

Michael Davis (UA) def. Justin Flynn (GSU) 6-1, 6-4

Michael Davis (UA) def. Rodrigo Rappaccioli (TUL) 7-5, 6-2

Trey Walston (UA) def. Christopher Duke (JSU) 7-6(2), 6-1

Trey Walston (UA) def. James Moye (VU) 6-1, 6-2

Michael Thompson (UA) def. Michael Gaerthoeffner (MEM) 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-3

Michael Thompson (UA) vs. Max Stevens (UT) 6-7, 3-1 (suspended due to rain)

Harris Barnard (UA) def. Felipe Sylva (USM) 6-2, 2-6, 7-6

Harris Barnard (UA) def. Rick van de Bovenkamp (UTC) 6-4, 7-6

Creighton Blanchard (UA) def. Alex McCann (MTSU) 6-2, 6-1

Creighton Blanchard (UA) def. John Hollimon (UAB) 7-6, 6-7, 6-4

 

--UA--