MT Doubles Highlights Day 2 of the ITA Regional Championship

Friday, September 24

Knoxville, Tenn.

Middle Tennessee

ITA Regional Championships

9/24/2021 5:11:00 PM | Men's Tennis

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Blue Raider men's tennis team day was highlighted by doubles play at ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships in Knoxville on Friday.

John Chin, Chris Edge, Stepan Holis, Pavel Motl, Stijn Slump, and Francisco Rocha represented the blue and white on the second day of the regional championship.

In singles, nationally-ranked Rocha made quick work of Arthur Toledo of Belmont, 6-4, 6-0. Slump won his second straight set victory of the tournament against Ball State's Nathaniel Webster, 6-2, 6-2. The two seniors were the only Blue Raiders to advance to the Round of the 32 in the singles main draw. Chin and Edge dropped their matches in the Round of 64.

Main draw singles competition continued into the afternoon when Rocha squared off with Frazier Rengifo of East Tennessee State in the Round of 32. Rengifo ended Rocha's regional main draw run with 6-3, 6-3, victory.

Ninth-seeded Slump won the first set but dropped the second to send it to a third. Slump dominated the final set 6-1, against Memphis' Pablo Alemany to punch his ticket to the Round of 16 on Saturday. Slump is the final Blue Raider standing in the singles main draw.

In consolation singles play, 16-seed Motl advanced via walkover to the Round of 32. Holis got back on track with a victory over Maksim Bogdanovich in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.

In doubles, the third-seeded and nationally-ranked tandem of Motl and Slump prevailed over Castro/Luis of Belmont, 8-5. Fifth-seeded Edge and Rocha defeated IUPUI's Jankowski/Jochim in style, 8-4. MT now holds two spots in the Round of 16 in the doubles main draw.

In consolation doubles play, Chin and Holis advanced to the Round of 16 via walkover (injury).

Tomorrow's action will begin with Slump in the Round of 16 in the singles main draw followed by the Round of 16 in the doubles main draw in the afternoon. Consolation matches will be played out in the same tournament style format.

ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships
Knoxville, Tenn. | Goodfriend Tennis Center | 9:00 am (CT)

Men's Open Singles – Main Draw | Round of 64
#38 Francisco Rocha (MT) def. Arthur Toledo (BU): 6-4, 6-0
Matthew Fung (UL) def. John Chin (MT): 7-5, 6-0
Ian Cruz (BU) def. #104 Chris Edge (MT): 7-6(5), 6-3
#109 Stijn Slump (MT) def. Nathaniel Webster (BSU): 6-2, 6-2

Men's Open Singles – Main Draw | Round of 32
Frazier Rengifo (ETSU) def. #38 Francisco Rocha (MT): 6-3, 6-3
Stijn Slump (MT) def. Pablo Alemany (MEM): 6-4, 4-6, 6-1

Men's Open Singles – Consolation | Round of 64
Pavel Motl (MT): Walkover
Stepan Holis (MT) def. Makism Bogdanovich (LU): 6-1, 6-4

Men's Open Doubles – Main Draw | Round of 32
#21 Motl/Slump (MT) def. Castro/Luis (BU): 8-5
Edge/Rocha (MT) def. Jankowski/Jochim (IUPUI): 8-4

Men's Open Doubles – Consolation | Round of 32
Chin/Holis (MT): Walkover (injury)

UP NEXT
The Blue Raiders will travel to the ITA All-American Championships hosted by the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma from Oct. 2-10, at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.

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