CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Blue Devil duo of graduate student Michael Heller and senior Faris Khan advanced to the doubles finals after going 2-0 during the opening day of the Tom Chewning Invitational.
The pair defeated back-to-back North Carolina foes in Dennis Perumov and Will Peters and Peter Murphy and Logan Zapp. Duke bested Perumov and Peters, 6-3, in their opening match before earning a 6-1 victory over Murphy and Zapp to advance to the finals. Heller and Khan face Oscar Pinto and German Samofalov of VCU in the last round of doubles action at 9 a.m. Saturday.
In singles play, Heller and Khan each battled to three-set thrillers but ultimately dropped their decisions. Heller fell to Hugo Vega of NC Central, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (1), 6-2, before VCU’s Romain Gales beat Khan 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-2, respectively.
Freshman Alexander Visser earned the first win of his Blue Devil career after besting North Carolina’s Murphy in his opening singles match. After dropping the first set, 6-1, Visser rebounded with back-to-back victories at 6-4, 6-4, to claim the win.
Sophomore Pedro Rodenas also collected a win in singles play with a convincing 6-1, 7-5 decision over Peters of North Carolina.
Duke is back in action Saturday with the final round of doubles action beginning at 9 a.m. before another round of singles not before 11 a.m.
Doubles
Round One
Michael Heller/Faris Khan (Duke) def. Dennis Perumov/Will Peters (North Carolina) 6-3
Round Two
Michael Heller/Faris Khan (Duke) def. Peter Murphy/Logan Zapp (North Carolina) 6-1
Singles
Round One
Pedro Rodenas (Duke) def. Will Peters (North Carolina) 6-1, 7-5
Alexander Visser (Duke) def. Peter Murphy (North Carolina) 1-6, 6-4, 6-4
Romain Gales (VCU) def. Faris Khan (Duke) 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-2
Hugo Vega (NC Central) def. Michael Heller (Duke) 7-6 (4), 6-7 (1), 6-2
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