Oct. 19, 2008
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Brett Helgeson’s (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley West) run at the ITA Midwest Regionals came to an end on Sunday, as he was knocked out in the quarterfinals. Helgeson, ranked 25th in the preseason ITA rankings, fell 3-6, 5-7 to Marek Michalicka of Wisconsin.
Helgeson, the number four seed in the tournament, made it to the quarterfinals with a win over Roy Kalmanovich of Illinois, 6-2, 6-1, marking Helgeson’s third consecutive straight-set win at the ITA Midwest Regionals. The Sunday morning win set up Helgeson’s afternoon showdown with Michalicka.
To make it to main draw play on Sunday, Helgeson won two matches on Saturday. First, he defeated Kurt Zaske of Ohio State in the first round, 6-3, 6-1. In the second round Helgeson recorded another straight-sets victory, this time over Peter Aarts of Michigan, 6-1, 7-5. Helgeson made it to the round of 16 at the ITA Midwest Regionals for the second consecutive season.
At the event, Helgeson also participated in doubles play. On Friday, Helgeson and teammate Stephen Havens (Cincinnati, Ohio/Hill Christian School) breezed to round of 16 play with consecutive 8-1 wins. First, they beat Alafriz and Kruusmagi of Wright Sate. Then the Irish tandem was able to overcome Bernabe and Monroy of Northern Illinois to set up a showdown with Michigan’s Jung and Sroczynski. The Michigan duo proved victorious, knocking out Helgeson and Havens in a close match, 8-6.
Helgeson and the Irish conclude their fall season at the ITA National Indoors and the William & Mary Invitational. Both events will be played on November 6-9. The ITA National Indoors will be played at the Boyd Tinsley Courts in Charlottesville, Virginia, while the W&M Invitational will be play at the McCormack-Nagelson Tennis Center in Williamsburg, Virginia.