Tuesday, 01/10/2012

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Alabama men’s tennis team earned one singles win and one doubles victory on the final day of play at the UCF Invitational Tournament. With the pair of wins, the Crimson Tide collected a total of 11 victories during the three-day event.

“It was a very productive weekend for us,” said Alabama head coach Billy Pate. “I would have liked to see us get a few more wins in singles, but I was encouraged by the tremendous potential of our new freshmen David and Filippos. We also played solid in doubles, which presents a couple of good options for possible tandems in dual matches.”

In doubles, Alabama’s duo of senior Michael Thompson and freshman David Vieyra took down Louisville senior Sumit-Prakash Gupta and freshman Van Damrongsri, 8-5, while senior Ricky Doverspike and freshman Filippos Tsangaridis fell by the same score to the Cardinal team of senior Andrew Carter and freshman Sebastian Stiefelmeyer.

Thompson posted the Tide’s lone singles win on the day as he dominated Louisville sophomore Amaury Derognat, 6-1, 6-1. Vieyra had a hard-fought three-set match, but was edged by Steifelmeyer, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Doverspike and Tsangaridis also represented Alabama in singles, falling 6-4, 6-4 to freshman Albert Wagner and 6-2, 6-3 to freshman Chris Simich, respectively.

The Tide returns to action next weekend when it heads to the annual SEC Indoor Championships, which will run January 13-16, in Lexington, Ky.

RESULTS
Doubles
Carter/Steifelmeyer (UL) def. Doverspike/Tsangaridis (UA) 8-5
Thompson/Vieyra (UA) def. Gupta/Damrongsri (UL) 8-5

Singles
Albert Wagner (UL) def. Ricky Doverspike (UA) 6-4, 6-4
Sebastian Steifelmeyer (UL) def. David Vieyra (UA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Chris Simich (UL) def. Filippos Tsangaridis (UA) 6-2, 6-3
Michael Thompson (UA) def. Amaury Derognat (UL) 6-1, 6-1