Fayetteville, Ark. – Roni Hietaranta and Calvin Mueller both fell in the Round of 8 to cap off the final day of the ITA Regional Championships held at the Billingsley Tennis Center in Arkansas. This was the second-straight year the Huskers have sent a player to the Round of 8, with William Gleason doing so last year when the event was hosted at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center.
Mueller bested Oklahoma State’s Carl Roothman, 6-0, 6-1, on Saturday to advance into the Round of 8. The Bruchkoebl, Germany native earned his fourth win of the tournament, but fell short to fellow Cowboy Alejandro Garcia, 6-2, 6-7 (10), 6-4, in the Round of 8. Mueller now holds a 5-2 record in the fall and leads the Huskers in wins.
Hietaranta joined Mueller in the Round of 8 after a three-set thriller against Drake’s Jeremy Schifris, which he won, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (2). A year after his 22-win season with the Huskers, the Lappeenranta, Finland native ended his tournament run with a loss to Nathan Han of the Oklahoma Sooners on Sunday in consecutive sets, 6-4, 6-2.
Across the tournament, Nebraska had 12 wins in singles play which is the most they’ve had in fall competition this year. Every Husker has a win in singles play this season that has participated in at least one match.
In doubles play, all three duos won their opening-round matchup including a pair of tie-breaker wins to begin the morning. However, all three teams fell just short in the second contest, eliminating the Huskers from the doubles draw.
Nebraska will be back in action at the Big Ten Individual Championships which will be held in Ann Arbor, Mich., from Nov. 4-6.
Stay up to date with the action by following the Nebraska men’s tennis Twitter and Instagram accounts, @huskermtennis.
Singles Draw:
Round of 128:
R128: Rudi Christiansen (NEB) def. Alejandro Gandini (Creighton) 6-3, RET [inj]
R128: Lars Johann (NEB) def. Daniel Green (UNO) 7-6 (6), 6-2
R128: Calvin Mueller (NEB) def. Reid Jarvis (Drake) 6-4, 7-5
Round of 64:
R64: Roni Hietaranta (NEB) def. Ignacio Vinas (Oral Roberts) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
R64: Lars Johann (NEB) def. Daniel Siddall (Tulsa) 6-3, 7-6 (5)
R64: Shunya Maruyama (NEB) def. Gustavo Pinho (Oral Roberts) 6-3, 6-2
R64: Calvin Mueller (NEB) def. Adham Gaber (Tulsa) 0-6, 7-6 (5), 6-0
R64: Nic Wiedenhorn (NEB) def. Markus Bolin (Drake)…
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