SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s tennis team finished a very busy weekend with an unblemished 8-0 record between their two events on Sunday. The ITA All-American Championships prequalifying draw and the Drobac/Beeman Invitational wrapped up with 11 different players in action throughout the weekend..
Freshman Sebastian Dominko continued his successful singles play as he won four straight matches to advance through the prequalifying draw at the ITA All-American Championships. In the opening round on Saturday, he faced fellow ACC freshman Benjamin Kittay of North Carolina in a three set battle where the Slovenian would advance. Sebastian followed that with a win over Ben Koch of Louisiana State 7-5, 6-3 under the lights to end the first day. He picked up where he left off Sunday with a win over 4-seeded Guido Marson of Texas A&M by a score of 6-2, 7-6. With the final round of prequalifying line up, Dominko took out Casey Hoole of South Carolina to secure his 4th win in 36 hours and earn a spot in the qualifying draw where he will join teammate Addy Vashistha who is already in qualifying by way of his national ranking (#99).
The other three Irish players in the prequalifying event would all pick up a win individually as well. Connor Fu picked up a first round win yesterday with a win over the top player for Montana State. He would fall later in the evening to Michael Ross of Vanderbilt. Matt Che and Yu Zhang both lost their opening round matches but would respond today with wins in the consolation matches against Patrick Fletchall of Indiana and Siim Troost of Vanderbilt respectively.
Up in East Lansing, the Notre Dame men would go a perfect 4-0 on Sunday to end the Drobac/Invitational. Noah Becker and Brian Bilsey won their doubles and they, along with Matt Halpin, all picked up a singles win to finish their weekend.
Bilsey went 3-1 overall in singles this weekend with wins over Toledo, Michigan State and Illinois. His partner for the weekend, Becker, would pick up a pair of singles wins as well over Toledo and Illinois. Halpin would also secure two singles wins over Michigan State and Indiana as well as a doubles win with fellow senior Braeden Ho over Western Michigan.
Upcoming Schedule:
Dominko and Vashistha will begin qualifying play at the ITA All American Championships on Monday.
12pm ET: Dominko vs. Pankin (Portland)
1pm ET: Vashistha vs. Delmas (Temple)
The next team event will be the ITA Regional Championships hosted at the University of Illinois with all the top competition from the Midwest section. This event will begin October 21st.
ITA All-American Results
Dominko(ND) def. Kittay(UNC)6-4, 6-7(1). 6-4
Dominko(ND) def. Koch(LSU) 7-5, 6-3
Dominko(ND) def. Marson(TAMU) 6-2, 7-6(2)
Dominko(ND) def. Hoole(SC) 7-6, 6-4
Fu(ND) def. Panik(MSU) 7-6, 3-0 ret.
Ross(VU) def. Fu(ND) 6-4, 6-4
Jesudason(DREXEL) def. Che(ND) 7-6, 7-6
Che(ND) def. Fletchall(IU) 6-2, 7-5
Sisam(VU) def. Zhang(ND) 7-6, 1-6, 6-4
Zhang(ND) def. Troost(VU) 6-3, 6-4
Drobac/Beeman Invitational Results
Round 1:
Kleinschnitz/Meluta(TOL) def. Becker/Bilsey(ND) 6-3
Bilsey(ND) def. Kleinschnitz(TOL) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0(9)
Becker(ND) def. Meluta(TOL) 6-4, 6-4
Miyoshi/Debru(ILL) def. Ho/Corsillo(ND) 6-4
Miyoshi(ILL) def. Ho(ND) 5-7, 6-2, 1-0(1)
Debru(ILL) def. Corsillo 6-1, 3-0, ret.
Cooksey/Hanchaikul(MICH) def. Halpin/Lee(ND) 6-0
Cooksey(MICH) def. Lee(ND) 6-4, 7-6(4)
Hanchaikul(MICH) def. Halpin(ND) 6-1, 6-2
Round 2:
Fenty/Swenson(MICH) def. Becker/Bilsey(6-0)
Fenty(MICH) def. Bilsey(ND) 6-1, 6-1
Swenson(MICH) def. Becker(ND) 6-2, 7-5
Ho(ND)/Landau(IU) def. George/Pierce(WMU) 6-2
George(WMU) def. Ho(ND) 6-2, 6-2
Halpin(ND) def. Crocker(MSU) 6-1, 7-6(4)
Round 3:
Baylis/Portnoy(MSU) def. Ho/Halpin(ND) 7-5
Baylis(MSU) def. Ho(ND) 6-4, 6-2
Portnoy(MSU) def. Halpin(ND)
Matsuno/Saye(MSU) def. Becker/Bilsey(ND) 7-5
Matsuno(MSU) def. Becker(ND) 6-1, 6-3
Bilsey(ND) def. Saye(MSU) 7-6(5), 7-6(5)
Round 4:
Becker/Bilsey(ND) def. Horve/Bowers(ILL) 6-4
Bilsey(ND) def. Horve(ILL) 6-2, 6-4
Becker(ND) def. Bowers(ILL) 6-3, 6-4
Halpin(ND) def. Meier(IU) 6-2, 6-4
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