ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Georgio Samaha took down 11th-seeded Arman Zamani 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in the opening qualifying round of the USTA Pro Circuit M15 Tournament, hosted by The University of New Mexico and the City of Albuquerque at McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium. The win advnaces Samaha to face the top-seed in CHristian Lakoseljac of Canada for a spot in the 32-man main draw.
UNM’s four other competitors all fell in their qualifying rounds.
The tournament continues Tuesday at McKinnon with matches starting at 10 am. Doubles will also begin in earnest on Tuesday, and UNM will have three wild card entries in doubles. Rafael Abdulsalam and Samaha will face the top seed in Osgar O’Holsin of Ireland and Benjamin Sigouin of Canada. Arda Azkara and Ryo Matsushita face American pair Kalman Boyd and Warren Wood while Alex Maggs and Jan Pucalka face the No. 2-seeds Chad Kessel and Emil Reinberg of the United States.
Monday Qualifying Results (Lobo matches in BOLD)
Court 1:
10 am: (12) Oren Vasser (USA) d. Alexander Maggs (GBR) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
Followed by: (7) Franco Ribero (ARG) d. Daniil Kakhniuk (BLR) 6-4, 6-1
Followed by: Georgio Samaha (USA) d. (11) Arman Zamani (USA) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
Court 2:
10 am: (1) Christian Lakoseljac (CAN) d. Codrin Miller (USA) 6-0, 6-0
Followed by: (5) Chad Kissel (USA) d. Lazar Markovic (USA) 6-2, 6-1
Followed by: (9) Michael Shabaz (USA) d. Aram Noroozian (CAN) 6-3, 6-4
Court 3:
10 am : (3) Nico Mostardi (USA) d. Kyle Overmyer (USA) 6-0, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7)
Followed by: (13) Christian Lerby (NED) d. YanMing Zhou (HKG) 6-0, 6-0
Followed by: vs. Marino Jakic (CRO) d. (2) Nikolay Sysoev (RUS) 6-4, 6-3
Court 4:
10 am: (14) Stefano Liokossis (CAN) d. Abasi Abukusumo (USA) 6-3, 6-3
Followed by: (6) Emile Hudd (GBR) d. Varun Jayaram (USA) 6-1, 6-1
Followed by: (15) Antonio Matteo Iaquinto (DOM) d. Leonardo Vega (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
Court 5:
10 am: Maxwell McKennon (USA) d. (4) Keenan Mayo (USA) 6-3, 6-4
Followed by: (10) Ryan Dickerson (USA) d. Nicola Cigna (ITA) 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7)
Court 6:
10 am: (16) Aleksa Krivokapic (MNE) d. Chetan Desai (IND) 6-0, 6-0
Followed by (8) Chukang Wang (Chi) d. Jacob Olar (USA) 7-5, 6-4
Tuesday Qualifying Singles (Lobo matches in BOLD – Winners advance to main draw)
(1) Christian Lakoseljac (CAN) vs. Georgia Samaha (USA)
Marino Jakic (CRO) vs. (9) Michael Shabaz (USA)
(3) Nico Mostardi (USA) vs. (14) Stefano Liokossis (CAN)
Maxwell McKennon (USA) vs. (16) Aleksa Krivokapic (MNE)
(5) Chad Kessel (USA) vs. (13) Christian Lerby (NED)
(6) Emile Hudd (GBR) vs. (12) Orin Vasser (USA)
(7) Franco Ribero (ARG) vs. (10) Ryan Dickerson (USA)
(8) Chukang Wang (CHN) vs. (15) Antonio Matteo Iaquinto (DOM)
Tuesday First Round Doubles (Lobo matches in BOLD)
(1) Osgar O’Hoisin (IRE)/Benjamin Sigouin (CAN) vs. Rafael Adbulsalam (VEN)/Georgio Samaha (USA)
Demetris Azoldis (GRE)/Franco Ribero (ARG) vs. Ryan Dickerson (USA)/Olie Wallin (SWE)
(4) Yuta Kikuchi (JPN)/Issac Nortey (GHA) vs. Maciej Rajski (POL)/Jakub Wojick (USA)
Axel Garcian (FRA)/Cash Hanzlik (USA) vs. Nicola Cigna (ITA)/Leonardo Vega (USA)
Arda Azkara (TUR)/Ryoma Matsushita (JPN) vs. Kalman Boyd (USA)/Warren Wood (USA)
Haoyuan Huang (CHN)/Chukang Wang (CHN) vs. (3) Sathi Reddy Chirala (IND)/Keenan Mayo (USA)
Angel Diaz Jalil (ECU)/Emile Hudd (GBR) vs. Constantinos Koshis (CYP)/Maxwell McKinnon (USA)
Alexander Maggs (GBR)/Jan Pucalka (CZE) vs. (2) Chad Kissell (USA)/Emil Reinberg (USA)