Nov. 2, 2012
Ramy Labna combined with Wisconsin's Alexander Kokorev, but the duo played very well together, reaching the quarterfinal round. In the first round, they won 8-4 against Indiana's Daniel Bednarczyk and Elliot Yee. In the round of 16, they followed up their first round play with an 8-6 victory over Iowa's Dominic Patrick and Chase Tomlins. They faced Michigan's Michael Zhu and Barrett Franks in the quarterfinal and fell 8-6.
The Nittany Lions' third pair, Guanhua Chen(DaLian, China) and Chris Young(Melbourne, Australia) fell 8-6 to Iowa's Garret Dunn and Michael Swank in their first round match. However, they won a consolation match 8-4 over Michigan State's Doug Zade and Will Davis.
Matt Barry and Guanhua Chen both fell in close Big Ten Singles matches. Barry fell 6-4, 6-7(1-7), 6-1 to Illinois' Alex Jesse. Chen faced Wisconsin's Alexander Kokorev, but dropped a tough 6-2, 7-6(7-5) battle.
C.J. Griffin, Ramy Labna, and Chris Young also fell in their first round matches. Griffin fell 6-4, 6-2 to Indiana's Elliot Yee. Labna faced Illinois' Julian Childers and lost 6-1, 6-2. Young dropped a 6-3, 6-2 result against Michigan State's Dennis Bogatov.
Russell Bader won his Garnet Draw first round match over Tulsa's Michael Kirby 6-3, 6-3. He advanced to face Florida State's Cristian Gonzalez Mendez in the round of 16.
Freshman Roman Trkulja(Toronto, Canada) received a first-round bye to advance to the round of 16 in the Spear Draw, where he will match up against Florida State's Joao Gauer.
Bryan Welnetz(Laredo, Texas) and Tomas Hanzlik(Prague, Czech Republic) both took tough losses in the first round of the Gold Draw. Welnetz dropped a 6-3, 7-6(4) match against Duke's Jason Tahir and Hanzlik fell 6-3, 7-6(3) against Cal's Chris Konigsfeldt.
In Gold Draw doubles, Bader and Trkulja faced Duke's Michael Redlicki and Jason Tahir, but lost 8-2. In the Garnet Draw, Hanzlik and Welnetz fell 8-5 against Tulsa's Alejandro Espejo Sanchez and Michael Kirby.
Please check back to gopsusports.com throughout the weekend for coverage of the Big Ten Singles Tournament and USTA Clay Court Invitational. For the Big Ten matches, also visit http://www.uwbadgers.com/sports/m-tennis/spec-rel/B10Champs.html. For the USTA Clay Court Invitational, visit http://www.seminoles.com/sports/m-tennis/spec-rel/103112aab.html.
USTA Clay Court Invitational:
Singles:
Gold:
Round of 32) Jason Tahir(Duke) def. Bryan Welnetz(PSU), 6-3, 7-6(4)
Chris Konigsfeldt(Cal) def. Tomas Hanzlik(PSU), 6-3, 7-6(3)
Garnet:
Round of 32) Russell Bader(PSU) def. Michael Kirby(Tulsa), 6-3, 6-3
Spear:
Round of 32) Roman Trkulja(PSU), bye
Doubles:
Gold Draw:
Round of 16) Redlicki/Tahir(Duke) def. Bader/Trkulja(PSU), 8-2
Garnet Draw:
Round of 16) Espejo Sanchez/Kirby(Tulsa) def. Hanzlik/Welnetz(PSU), 8-5
Big Ten:
Singles Main Draw:
Round of 64) Elliott Yee(Ind) def. C.J. Griffin, 6-2, 6-4
Alex Jesse(Ill.) def. Matt Barry(PSU), 6-4, 6-7(1-7), 6-1
Dennis Bogatov(MSU) def. Chris Young(PSU), 6-3, 6-2
Julian Childers(Ill.) def. Ramy Labna(PSU), 6-1, 6-2
Alexander Kokorev(Wisc) def. Guanhua Chen(PSU), 6-2, 7-6(7-5)
Doubles Main Draw:
Round of 32) Barry/Griffin(PSU) def. Guignon/Abdelnour(Ill), 8-5
Labna(PSU)/Kokorev(Wisc) def. Benderczyk/Yee(Ind), 8-4
Dunn/Swank(Iowa) def. Chen/Young(PSU), 8-6
Round of 16) Pfister/Lied(MSU) def. Barry/Griffin(PSU), 8-4
Labna(PSU)/Kokorev(Wisc) def. Patrick/Tomlins(Iowa), 8-6
Quarterfinal) Zhu/Franks(Mich) def. Labna(PSU)/Kokorev(Wisc), 8-6
Consolation) Chen/Young(PSU) def. Zade/Davis(MSU), 8-4