KNOXVILLE, TENN. — Members of the University of North Carolina men’s tennis team began their fall season with a productive first day at the Knoxville Showdown, hosted this weekend by the University of Tennessee.
Playing against competition on Friday from Columbia University and the University of Illinois, Carolina players won two of their three doubles matches and picked up three singles wins.
The Tar Heels played without graduate student All-America Brian Cernoch, who is spending the week as a hitting partner for Team USA at the Davis Cup this week.
In singles action, graduate transfer Ryan Seggerman, ranked No. 43, picked up a huge win over 10th-ranked Alex Kotzen of Columbia by a score of 7-6, 6-1. Meanwhile, freshman Benjamin Kittay rallied for his first collegiate singles win by defeating Ishaan Ravichander (Columbia), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Junior Peter Murphy also turned in a victory, downing Hugo Hashimoto of Columbia 7-6(2), 6-2.
In doubles, Seggerman and Kittay topped Theo Winegar and Max Westphal of Columbia, 6-3, while Logan Zapp and Murphy beat Roko Horvat and Henry Ruger of Columbia, 6-3.
Session 2
Doubles Matches
Nic Meister/Kenta Miyoshi (Illinois) def. Marcel Kamrowski /Ondrej Horak (MTSU) 6-1
Mathis Debru/Oliver Okonkwo (Illinois) def. Hugo Hashimoto/Ishaan Ravichander (Columbia) 6- 3
Ryan Seggerman/Benjamin Kittay (North Carolina) def. Theo Winegar/Max Westphal (Columbia) 6-3
Logan Zapp/Peter Murphy (North Carolina) def. Roko Horvat/Henry Ruger (Columbia) 6-3
Michael Zheng/Alex Kotzen (Columbia) def. Karl Poling/Chris Li (North Carolina) 7-5
Singles Matches
Nic Meister (Illinois) def. Shu Matsuoka (MTSU) 6-1, 6-1
Mathis Debru (Illinois) def. Mark Dillon (North Carolina) 6-2, 6-2
Ryan Seggerman (North Carolina) def. Alex Kotzen (Columbia) 7-6(5), 6-1
Peter Murphy (North Carolina) def. Hugo Hashimoto (Columbia) 7-6(2), 6-2
Benjamin Kittay (North Carolina) def. Ishaan Ravichander (Columbia) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
Henry Ruger (Columbia) def. Chris Li (North Carolina) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
Michael Zheng (Columbia) def. Logan Zapp (North Carolina) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3)
Roko Horvat (Columbia) def. Karl Poling (North Carolina) 6-1, 6-1
Theo Winegar (Columbia) def. Kenta Miyoshi IIllinois) 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-6(4)
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