Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Thursday, September 23
Knoxville, Tenn.
Middle Tennessee
vs
ITA Regional Championships
Photo by: Nathan Wallach/Athletic Communications
Blue Raiders Complete Day One at the ITA Regional Championship
9/23/2021 4:49:00 PM | Men's Tennis
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Blue Raider men's tennis team advanced four student-athletes in the singles main draw and two duos in doubles at ITA Regional Championships in Knoxville on Thursday. MT started off scorching hot with three straight set victories in singles.
John Chin, Chris Edge, Stepan Holis, Pavel Motl, Stijn Slump, and Francisco Rocha represented the blue and white in the opening round of the regional championship.
In singles, Chin got things going for MT early. He won with ease over Gabriel Nolasco, 6-2, 6-2, of Austin Peay. Ninth-seeded Edge and Slump followed Chin's performance with dominance themselves. Edge took down Vandy's Connor Robb-Wilcox and Slump defeated Jordan McClure of Chattanooga. Both were decisive victories in straight sets.
Nationally-ranked No. 38 Rocha squared off with Indiana's Luka Vukovic and dropped the first set. The senior battled back and prevailed over Vukovic, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2. All three ranked Blue Raiders advanced to the main draw Round of 64. The last two Blue Raiders to finish the Round of 128 were the two 16-seeds, Holis and Motl. Both fell in their matches, respectively.
In doubles, the third-seeded and nationally-ranked tandem of Motl and Slump advanced to the Round of 32 via bye. Fifth-seeded Edge and Rocha squared off with Belmont's pair of Toledo/Cruz. Edge and Rocha prevailed in a close match, 8-6. Holis was matched up with Chin for doubles, the tandem lost to ninth-seeded Bennett/Galus of Purdue, 2-8.
Tomorrow's action will begin with the Round of 64 in the singles main draw at 9:00 a.m. (CT) followed by the Round of 32 in the doubles main draw in the afternoon. Consolation matches will be played out in the same tournament style format.
ASSISTANT MEN'S TENNIS COACH ANDREA CALIGIANA ON DAY ONE OF ITA REGIONALS
"I thought we had a solid first day. We didn't play our best tennis, but for the first fall tournament for most of our guys, you cannot expect perfect tennis right away. I like the way the guys competed and found a way to cross the finish line. Now that we're through day one the competition is only going to get better and we know our guys will rise to the occasion. We're looking forward to learning from today and seeing how we compete tomorrow."
ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships Results
Knoxville, Tenn. | Goodfriend Tennis Center | 9:00 am (CT)
Men's Open Singles – Main Draw | Round of 128
John Chin (MT) def. Gabriel Nolasco (APU): 6-1, 6-0
#104 Chris Edge (MT) def. Connor Robb-Wilcox (VU): 6-3, 6-3
#38 Francisco Rocha (MT) def. Luka Vukovic (IU): 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-2
#109 Stijn Slump (MT) def. Jordan McClure (CU): 6-4, 6-2
Diego Nava (XU) def. Pavel Motl (MT): 7-5, 6-3
Ilya Tiraspolsky (IU) def. Stepan Holis (MT): 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
Men's Open Doubles – Main Draw | Round of 64
#21 Motl/Slump (MT): Bye
Edge/Rocha (MT) def. Toledo/Cruz (BU): 8-6
Bennett/Galus (PU) def. Holis/Chin (MT): 8-2
John Chin, Chris Edge, Stepan Holis, Pavel Motl, Stijn Slump, and Francisco Rocha represented the blue and white in the opening round of the regional championship.
In singles, Chin got things going for MT early. He won with ease over Gabriel Nolasco, 6-2, 6-2, of Austin Peay. Ninth-seeded Edge and Slump followed Chin's performance with dominance themselves. Edge took down Vandy's Connor Robb-Wilcox and Slump defeated Jordan McClure of Chattanooga. Both were decisive victories in straight sets.
Nationally-ranked No. 38 Rocha squared off with Indiana's Luka Vukovic and dropped the first set. The senior battled back and prevailed over Vukovic, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2. All three ranked Blue Raiders advanced to the main draw Round of 64. The last two Blue Raiders to finish the Round of 128 were the two 16-seeds, Holis and Motl. Both fell in their matches, respectively.
In doubles, the third-seeded and nationally-ranked tandem of Motl and Slump advanced to the Round of 32 via bye. Fifth-seeded Edge and Rocha squared off with Belmont's pair of Toledo/Cruz. Edge and Rocha prevailed in a close match, 8-6. Holis was matched up with Chin for doubles, the tandem lost to ninth-seeded Bennett/Galus of Purdue, 2-8.
Tomorrow's action will begin with the Round of 64 in the singles main draw at 9:00 a.m. (CT) followed by the Round of 32 in the doubles main draw in the afternoon. Consolation matches will be played out in the same tournament style format.
ASSISTANT MEN'S TENNIS COACH ANDREA CALIGIANA ON DAY ONE OF ITA REGIONALS
"I thought we had a solid first day. We didn't play our best tennis, but for the first fall tournament for most of our guys, you cannot expect perfect tennis right away. I like the way the guys competed and found a way to cross the finish line. Now that we're through day one the competition is only going to get better and we know our guys will rise to the occasion. We're looking forward to learning from today and seeing how we compete tomorrow."
ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships Results
Knoxville, Tenn. | Goodfriend Tennis Center | 9:00 am (CT)
Men's Open Singles – Main Draw | Round of 128
John Chin (MT) def. Gabriel Nolasco (APU): 6-1, 6-0
#104 Chris Edge (MT) def. Connor Robb-Wilcox (VU): 6-3, 6-3
#38 Francisco Rocha (MT) def. Luka Vukovic (IU): 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-2
#109 Stijn Slump (MT) def. Jordan McClure (CU): 6-4, 6-2
Diego Nava (XU) def. Pavel Motl (MT): 7-5, 6-3
Ilya Tiraspolsky (IU) def. Stepan Holis (MT): 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
Men's Open Doubles – Main Draw | Round of 64
#21 Motl/Slump (MT): Bye
Edge/Rocha (MT) def. Toledo/Cruz (BU): 8-6
Bennett/Galus (PU) def. Holis/Chin (MT): 8-2
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
MTSU Tennis Pro-Am 9/6/25
Tuesday, September 09
Facility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
Wednesday, July 30
Men's Tennis NCAA Selection Show Watch Party on 04/28/25
Tuesday, April 29
MTSU Men's Tennis CUSA Championship vs Liberty Recap on 04/20/25
Wednesday, April 23
