Sept. 20, 2009
MIDLAND, Texas – The University of New Mexico men’s tennis team kicked off its fall schedule with the Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational, facing off with a fierce set of opponents, including a trio of Big 12 schools and several programs who finished 2008 ranked in the ITA Top 35.
While no Lobo advanced past the main draw’s round of 32 in singles action, highly touted freshman Jadon Phillips and sophomore Phil Anderson picked up two wins in the back draw with Phillips knocking off 85th-ranked Atilla Bucko from Baylor, 6-2, 6-2.
In the main draw, sophomore Carl Ho met Texas’ senior Josh Zvala, almost forcing a third set after falling in the first 6-1. Ho would eventually succomb, 7-6, to Zvala, who played in the No. 4 position for the Longhorns in 2009. Texas advanced to one of the final four teams in the semifinals before eventual NCAA champion USC ended its season. Still, the Longhorns finsihed 2009 ranked eighth.
“There was a good crop of experience opponents which was nice to expose our young team to early,” assistant head coach Bart Scott said. “Carl picked up right where he left off last year while Jadon was extremely impressive with strong serves.”
Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational-Singles
Main Draw-Round of 64
Carl Ho (NM) def. Mindaugas Celedinas (UT-Arlington)-6-1, 6-1
Joe Wood (NM) def. Jenson Turner (Pepperdine)-2-6, 7-4, 7-6
Bryan Jointer (Abilene Christian) def. Conor Berg (NM)-7-6, 5-7, 7-6
Darren Walsh (SMU) def. Jadon Phillips (NM)-6-4, 6-3
Ldad Campbell (Abilene Christian) def. Matt Neeld (NM)-6-3, 6-4
Main Draw-Round of 32
Filipp Pogostkin (Boise State) def. Ben Dunbar (NM)-7-5, 7-6
Josh Zavala (Texas) def. Ho (NM)-6-1, 7-6
George Chanturia (Oklahoma) def. Phil Anderson (NM)-6-4, 6-1
Christian Hodel (Boise State) def. Wood (NM)-6-3, 4-6, 7-6
Back draw
Phillips (NM) def. Hugh Clarke (Pepperdine)-7-6, 5-7, 7-6
Phillips (NM) def. No. 85 Atilla Buck (Texas)-6-2, 6-2
Finn Tearney (Pepperdine) def. Phillips (NM)-3-6, 7-5, 7-6
Anderson (NM) def. Jeff Bryan (Texas Tech)-6-4, 6-0
Anderson (NM) def. Dennis Polyakov (Rice)-6-3, 6-1
Finn Tearney (Pepperdine) def. Anderson (NM)-6-3, 5-7, 7-6
Vasko Mladvenov (Texas) def. Dunbar (NM)-6-3, 6-4
Finn Tearney (Pepperdine) def. Berg (NM)-1-6, 6-2, 7-6
Raphael Pfister (Texas) def. Neeld (NM)-6-2, 2-0
Main Draw-Doubles
Daniel Whitehead/Ben Chen (Texas) def. Wood/Dunbar (NM)-8-6
Luke Hawk/Bryan Jointer (Abilene Christian) def. Berg/Phillips (NM)-9-8
Ho/Anderson def. Raphael Pfister/David Gonzalez (Texas Tech)-9-8
Finn Tearney/Alex Llompart (Pepperdine) def. Ho/Anderson (NM)-8-5