Pepperdine Team Page
FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. – Senior Alex Sarkissian of the Pepperdine men’s tennis team bowed out of the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships today, suffering a three-set loss in the consolation bracket. Sarkissian concludes his fall season with an 8-5 singles record.
“This tournament in Flushing Meadows was an amazing experience,” said Sarkissian (Glendale, Calif./Glendale CC). “It was great to come out here with our new associate head coach, Marcelo Ferreira, and compete against the nation’s best college tennis players. I’m honored to have been selected.”
Sarkissian, ranked #23 in the ITA preseason singles poll, earned an at-large bid into the 32-person singles draw.
Playing inside the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home to the US Open, the senior fell in the first round to #54 Winston Lin of tournament host Columbia.
Consolation didn’t get any easier, as Sarkissian was faced with #7-ranked Nik Scholtz in the opening round. The two faced each other in the first round of the ITA All-American Championship back in October, with Scholtz winning by a 6-4, 6-4 tally.
Although Sarkissian stuck first with a 6-4 win the first frame, Scholtz forced a third set with a 6-3 win in the second.
The two players battled from start to finish in the deciding stanza, but the Ole Miss player was able to break late to win 6-4, ending Sarkissian’s run.
Despite the early exit at the national indoor championship, Sarkissian’s fall season was a successful one. He reached the consolation semifinals at the ITA All-American Championship, chalking two wins over top-30 ranked opponents.
He followed that up with a runner-up finish at the USTA/ITA Southwest Regional Championship.
This concludes the fall season for the Waves. The team breaks until the New Year, when they play at National Collegiate Tennis Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. on Jan. 16-19 before opening the dual campaign at Washington on Jan. 21.
USTA/ITA National Indoor Championship
Nov 7-8, 2013 at Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
Singles competition
Main Draw -- Round of 32
#54 Winston Lin (Columbia) def. #23 Alex Sarkissian (Pepperdine) 6-0, 6-2
Consolation Draw -- Round of 16
#7 Nik Scholtz (Ole Miss) def. #23 Alex Sarkissian (Pepperdine) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
