LA JOLLA, Calif. – The San Diego State men's tennis team sent nine players to La Jolla, California, this weekend to take part in the Pacific Coast Doubles Championships. The entire Aztec roster other than Mathieu Josserand competed in the event on Friday. SDSU's players went 8-5 with three teams advancing to the Round of 32 including Bora Sengul/Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice, who made it to Saturday's Round of 16.
Gonzalez Fitzmaurice and Sengul opened their tournament against independents Naveed Asgharpour and Austin Farres Oriol. The Aztecs coasted to a 6-0, 6-2 win. In the Round of 64, the pair battled Boston College's seventh seeded Juan Jose Biachi and Jake Vassel. The Aztecs carried their momentum into a 6-4 first set win and won the tiebreaker in the second set 7-6 (7-4) to advance to the Round of 32. The pair finished their day against Pacific's Andre Rodeia and Tommy Czaplinski. They earned another victory 6-4, 6-3 to advance to tomorrow's Round of 16. In tomorrow's match they will battle ninth seeded Pietro Fellin and Edward Winter, of Pepperdine.
Earning a 17th seed, Alexander Mandma and Robin Parts had a first round bye. In their first match, they went up against USC's Karl Lee and independent Nathaniel Suh. They smoked their opposition in a 6-0, 6-1 victory to advance to the Round of 32. Next up, they played UCLA's ninth seeded Giacomo Revelli and Jorge Gonzalez Plans. The Aztecs were dropped in straight sets 6-2, 6-4
The winners of last year's tournament, Johannes Seeman and Chikaya Sato also earned a 17th seed. They began Friday by playing independents Ben Brown and Leonard Thieler. The Aztecs cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 win. Next up, they played Ball State's Jacks Lancaster and Leonard Tran. After falling in the first set tiebreaker 7-6 (7-5), the Aztecs stormed back to take the second set 6-0. They also won the deciding tiebreaker 10-4. In the Round of 32, they faced UCLA's ninth seeded Eric Johnson and Bryce Pereira. The first set had the same results as their previous match 7-6 (7-5). The Aztecs forced a tiebreaker with a 6-4 second set victory but dropped the tiebreaker 10-5.
Without an Aztec to partner with, Andre Saleh played with former Point Loma Nazarene player Jasdeep Paintal. They began the tournament against independents Amrith Kodumuri and Evan Ancu. Saleh and his partner won the first set 6-4 but came up short in the second set tiebreaker 7-6 (7-4). Then, Saleh and Paintal won in a 10-4 tiebreaker. Next up, they faced Stanford's ninth seeded Anders Matta and Kyle Kang but were defeated 6-2, 6-1.
Lenny Melzer and Liam Spiers were the final Aztec pair. They began the day against Boston College's Anesh Jayasundera and Caleb Saltz. The Aztecs fell 6-1 in the first set and were competitive in the second but came up short 6-3. With the first-round loss, they played in the consolation bracket against independents Taran Sondhu and AJ Flores. The Aztecs won easily, 8-2. Next up was a match against more independents, Mitchel Heckmann and Manuel Ortiz but it was a walkover due to an injury on the Aztecs' side.
The Pacific Coast Doubles Championships continue tomorrow, Saturday, March 2, with the Round of 16. Gonzalez Fitzmaurice and Sengul will play Pepperdine's ninth seeded Pietro Fellin and Edward Winter.
Pacific Coast Doubles Championships
La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club
La Jolla, Calif.
San Diego State's Day One Results
Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice/Bora Sengul (SDSU) def. Naveed Asgharpour/Austin Farres Oriol (Indep.) 6-0, 6-2
Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice/Bora Sengul (SDSU) def. [7] Juan Jose Bianchi/Jake Vassel (BC) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
Eugenio Gonzalez Fitzmaurice/Bora Sengul (SDSU) def. Andre Rodeia/Tommy Czaplinski (UOP) 6-4, 6-3
[17] Alexander Mandma/Robin Parts (SDSU) def. Nathaniel Suh (Indep.)/Karl Lee (USC) 6-0, 6-1
[9] Giacomo Revelli/Jorge Gonzalez Plans (UCLA) def. [17] Alexander Mandma/Robin Parts (SDSU) 6-2, 6-4
[17] Johannes Seeman/Chikaya Sato (SDSU) def. Ben Brown/Leonard Thieler (Indep.) 6-0, 6-2
[17] Johannes Seeman/Chikaya Sato (SDSU) def. Jacks Lancaster/Leonard Tran (BSU) 6-7 (5-7), 6-0, 10-4
[9] Eric Johnson/Bryce Pereira (UCLA) def. [17] Johannes Seeman/Chikaya Sato (SDSU) 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 10-5
Anesh Jayasundera/Caleb Saltz (BC) def. Lenny Melzer/Liam Spiers (SDSU) 6-1, 6-3
Lenny Melzer/Liam Spiers (SDSU) def. Taran Sondhu/AJ Flores (Indep.) 8-2
Mitchel Heckmann/Manuel Ortiz (Indep.) def. Lenny Melzer/Liam Spiers (SDSU) Wo [Inj.]
Andre Saleh (SDSU)/Jasdeep Paintal (fmr PLNU) def. Amrith Kodumuri/Evan Ancu (Indep.) 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 10-4
[9] Anders Matta/Kyle Kang (Stan) def. Andre Saleh (SDSU)/Jasdeep Paintal (fmr PLNU) 6-2, 6-1
Aztec Pair Advances to R16 in Pacific Coast Doubles
