TULSA, OKLA. – On Saturday, the San Diego State men's tennis had three players make their season debuts in the ITA All-American Championships. The Scarlet and Black were represented by Alexander Mandma, Robin Parts and Chikaya Sato on the first day of the event in Tulsa, Oklahoma. All four of their matches had a tiebreaker and were decided in two sets.
Making his Aztec debut, Parts faced South Carolina's Jelani Sarr. He sent the first set to a tiebreaker but ran out of steam, falling 7-6 (7-2). Parts was bested in the second set 6-2. He will go up against Memphis' Charlie Barry in the consolation bracket.
Sato faced Tennessee-Chattanooga's Gabriel Castillo Sanchez. Sato came out battling in the first set tiebreaker to take it 7-6 (7-2). He carried the momentum into the second set to take it 6-4 to advance to the Round of 128, where he would draw Vanderbilt's Michael Ross. The match with Ross would be another close affair. After falling 7-5 in the first set, Sato sent the second to a tiebreaker but came up short 7-6 (7-2).
A regular in the Aztec lineup last spring, Mandma went up against Memphis' Sam Reeve. In an extremely close first set, Mandma trailed 5-2 before he evened the score at five games apiece. Ultimately, Reeve defeated Mandma in the tiebreaker by a razor-thin margin 7-6 (7-5). The second set was less close, with the Tiger winning it 6-3. Mandma will face Kennesaw State's Harvey Conway tomorrow in the consolation bracket.
You can follow all the action on the ITA website: https://colleges.wearecollegetennis.com/Competitions/ITA/Tournaments/draws/41FF1CAF-6C1A-40AA-AE88-723C8D9942DA/0210DF8E-6705-4547-AB35-BD88191B023C
ITA All-American Championships
Tulsa, Okla.
San Diego State's Day One Results
Chikaya Sato (SDSU)def. Gabriel Castillo-Sanchez (UTC) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
Michael Ross (VU) def.Chikaya Sato (SDSU) 7-5, 7-6 (7-2)
Sam Reeve (MEM) def. Alexander Mandma (SDSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
Jelani Sarr (S. Car.) def. Robin Parts (SDSU) 7-6 (7-2), 6-2