Razorbacks wrap up in Fayetteville
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. –The University of Arkansas men’s tennis team hosted the 2009 individual-draw Razorback Classic this weekend at the George M. Billingsley Center and the Dills Indoor Stadium. Players from Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, Missouri-Kansas City, South Dakota State and Tyler (Texas) Junior College competed in a total 108 matches.
“The tournament was a great success,” Arkansas head coach Robert Cox said. “ The coaches and players were very impressed with the number of matches played and overall quality of the tournament.”
The Razorbacks finished strong with four Arkansas players making an unbelievable debut finishing with a 20-10 record to conclude the tournament.
“I am proud of all four players," Cox Said. “Our guys played with a lot of intensity and were able to learn and develop their game.”
Seniors Bradwin Williams and Taylor King teamed up for a 9-8(6) victory over Anton Bobytski and Aleksey Bessonov of OSU. The duo was unstoppable at the net losing only one match in the tournament, 8-6 to TJC’s Pier Pieracciani and Mario Jakovlevic. In the opening rounds, Williams and King rolled over SDSU’s Justin Pyles and Jamie Dash, 8-3 and claimed an 8-4 victory over Gustavo Guerin and Serge Ristivojevic of UMKC. They went on to defeat Tulsa’s James Seagraves and Rusty Turpin in a close tiebreak set 9-8(4).
“Bradwin and King stepped up and played like seniors,” Cox Said. “I am very pleased with their level of play and ability to finish strong in tough matches.”
Sunday morning, Bobystki, ranked No.120 in the ITA preseason rankings, defeated King with his powerful groundstrokes, 6-2, 6-1. King was 4-1 in singles play for the tournament, including his win over Seagraves of Tulsa, 7-5, 6-1. In the opening rounds, he cruised through the tournament with wins over SDSU’s Dash, 6-1, 6-1 and UMKC’s Guerin, 6-2, 6-2. Kings fierce serve over powered Pieracciani of TJC’s, winning the match 6-1, 6-1.
Teammate Williams faced Tulsa’s Bessonov in the fourth round. The players long battled ended with Bessonov topping Williams, 6-4, 6-3. Williams had a successful tournament with victories over Justin Pyle of SDSU, 6-4, 6-,1 and a 6-2, 6-2 win over Ristovjevic of UMKC. He then went on to defeat Tulsa’s Alastair Barnes, 6-3, 6-4.
The Hog’s bumpy road continued on Sunday with Spinazze’s loss to Trevor Hortsmann of OSU, 6-0, 6,2 and OSU’s Eric West’s win over Zogaj, 6-1, 6- 2. In the opening rounds, Spinazze claimed wins over Alex Lauseng of SDSU, 6-1, 6-0, and UMKC’s David Heckler, 7-5, 6-2. Zogaj was victorious in Friday’s matches against SDSU’s Evan Sims, 6-0, 6-0, and win over UMKC’s Erwin Quintanilla, 6-0,6-3.
Doubles action continued with Spinazze and Zogaj in round four to face OSU’s Bessonov and Hortsmann. Hortmann and Bessonov won the match, 8-4. Spinazze and Zogaj team dynamics were too strong for TJC’s Colby Meeks and Billy Bishop, Arkansas won the match, 8-3. Their winning streak continued with wins over SDSU’s Alex Lauseng and Evan Sims, 8-1 and claimed a 8-2 victory over UMKC’s Quintanilla and Heckler. The duo’s highlight victory was the 9-7 come from behind win over Tulsa’s Patrick Collins and Barnes.
“ We are going to keep moving forward,” Cox Said. “We showed great promise this weekend and expect for a great season.”
The Razorbacks are scheduled to return to action Oct.22-26 for the ITA Central Region Championships, in Tulsa, Okla.
Complete Results
SINGLES
FLIGHT 1
Aleksey Bessonov (OSU) def. Bradwin Williams (ARK) 6-4, 6-3
Alastair Barnes (Tulsa) def. Jokavljevic (TJC) 4-0(Ret.)
Stan Rodier (TJC) def. Dominic Rossetto (SDSU) 6-2, 6-1
Zach Alholm (TJC) def. Justin Pyle (SDSU) 1-6, 6-2, 6-0
FLIGHT 2
Anton Bobytski (OSU) def. Taylor King (ARK) 6-2, 6-1
Pier Pieracciani (TJC) def. James Seagraves (Tulsa) 6-2, 6-2
John Goetz (TJC) def. Jameson Goetz (SDSU) 6-1, 6-4
Jamie Dash (SDSU) def. Nick Hays (UMKC) 7-5, 6-1
FLIGHT 3
Eric West (OSU) def. Nikolas Zogaj (ARK) 6-1, 6-2
Rusty Turpin (Tulsa) def. Colby Meeks (TJC) 6-4, 6-3
Pete Thomason (TJC) def. Morgan Salo (SDSU) 6-0,6-1
Nick Monaco (UMKC) def. Evan Sims (SDSU) 6-2, 6-3
FLIGHT 4
Trevor Hortsmann (OSU) def. Nicholas Spinazze (ARK) 6-0, 6-2
Patrick Collins (Tulsa) def. Gianmarco Velez (TJC) 7-6(6), 6-4
Marco Lopez (TJC) def. Jeff Moffatt (SDSU) 6-2, 6-1
Gianmarco Velez (UMKC) def. Alex Lauseng (UMKC) 6-2, 6-0
DOUBLES
FLIGHT 1
Bradwin/King (ARK) def. Bobytski/West (OSU) 9-8(6)
Seagraves/Turpin (Tulsa) def. Jokavljevic/Pieracciani (TJC) 9-7
Monaco/Hays (UMKC) def. Pyle/Dash (SDSU) 8-4
Rodier/Thomason (TJC) def. Rossetto/Goetz (SDSU) 8-3
FLIGHT 2
Bessonov/Hortsmann (OSU) def. Spinazze/Zogaj (ARK) 8-4
Collins/Barnes (Tulsa) def. Velez/Meeks (TJC) 9-7
Alholm/Velez (UMKC) def. Lauseng/Sims (SDSU) 8-4
Devose/Bishop (TJC) def. Morgan/Moffatt (SDSU) 8-4
