Alabama Finishes Day Two Strong at ITA Southern Regional Championships

AUBURN, Ala. –– The Alabama men’s tennis team had a strong showing on Saturday at the ITA Southern Regional Championships. Both doubles pairings advanced to the Round of 16 after winning their second match, while all five singles players recorded a win during the day.

Roan Jones and Matias Ponce De Leon as well as Filip Planinsek and Andrii Zimnokh qualified for the Round of 16 in doubles after recording wins. Additionally, Alabama had three singles players advance to Sunday as Planinsek, Enzo Aguiard and Ponce De Leon each secured a win in the Round of 128.  

The Tournament

• UA opened the day with a pair of doubles victories as Jones and Ponce De Leon defeated Benji Jacobson and Fynn Kuenkler (Tulane) 8-6
• Planinsek and Zimnokh dropped only three games against LSU’s Benito Sanchez Martinez and Petar Jovanovic for an 8-3 victory
• No. 47-ranked Planinsek opened play in singles with a three-set 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3) victory over LSU’s Welsh Hotard to reach Sunday’s Round of 64
• No. 78 Aguiard went 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 against George Stoupe (LSU) to earn his spot in Sunday’s competition
• Ponce De Leon closed the day with a 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4) victory against Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes (MSU) to reach the next round
• Additionally, Zimnokh and Jones recorded wins to open singles play but would fall in the Round of 128
• Zimnokh defeated North Alabama’s Lachlan Brain (6-7 (12), 6-1, 6-3) in the opening round of the main draw while Jones topped Javier Montoya from South Alabama (6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-2) in his first match

Next

• Both Alabama doubles pairings compete in Sunday’s Round of 16 at 2 p.m. CT  
• Jones and Ponce De Leon will face Birtan Duran and Alberto Altur from North Alabama, while Planinsek and Zimnokh compete against Benito Sanchez Martinez and Petar Jovanovic from LSU
• In singles, Planinsek will play Billy Blaydes (Auburn) as Aguiard battles Mississippi State’s Radomir Tomic at 10 a.m. in the Round of 64

Doubles Results

Singles Results

• R128 | #47 Filip Planinsek (UA) def. Welsh Hotard (LSU) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3)
• R128 | #78 Enzo Aguiard (UA) def. George Stoupe (LSU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
• R128 | Matias Ponce de Leon (UA) def. Roberto Ferrer Guimaraes (MSU) 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4)
• R128 | #34 Nikola Slavic (OM) def. Andrii Zimnokh (UA) 6-4, 6-4
• R128 | Rudy Ceccon (LSU) def. Roan Jones (UA) 7-5, 6-4
• R256 | Andrii Zimnokh (UA) def. Lachlan Brain (UNA) 6-7 (12), 6-1,…