Trojans Exit ITA Southwest Regional Clash in Malibu with 12 Wins

Men’s Tennis | October 22, 2023

MALIBU, Calif. – USC men’s tennis was highlighted by a singles semifinal appearance by junior Peter Makk, as the team captured 12 wins during the ITA Southwest Regional from Oct. 19 – Oct. 23 at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.
 
As the defending singles champion, Makk went through the tournament, earning four singles victories, including two matches against the No. 92 and 99 ranked players. On the doubles side, USC made a quarterfinal appearance through the duo of juniors Wojtek Marek and Samuel Rubell. The junior doubles squad produced two victories before falling 8-6 to Pepperdine’s Davis/Carlsson Halldin. Marek also made a run for himself on the singles side, making it to the quarterfinals. This puts their record in the fall season at 3-2. 
 
Junior Karl Lee continued his recent string of success as he is now 5-1 in singles play this fall season. Senior Niroop Vallabhaneni took home his first win as a Trojan, as won his first-round matchup against San Diego’s Cardenas 6-0, 6-1. 
 
THURSDAY, OCT. 19
Doubles Round of 64:
Smiej/Padro (LMU) def. Lodewijk Weststrate/Niroop Vallabhaneni 8-5
Karl Lee/Peter Makk BYE
Wojtek Marek/Samuel Rubell BYE
 
Singles Round of 128:
Makk BYE
Lee def. Inigo Diaz (LMU) 6-1, 6-0
Marek BYE
Vallabhaneni def. Santiago Cardenas (UCSD) 6-0, 6-1
Weststrate BYE
Rubell BYE
 
Singles Round of 64:
Makk def. Daniel Phillips (ASU) 6-3, 6-1
Lee def. Gerhard Sullwald (GCU) 6-4, 6-3
Marek def. Bastiaan Weststrate (Cal Poly) 6-1, 6-1
Glanluca Brunkow (Santa Barbara) def. Vallabhaneni 7-5, 6-2
Weststrate def. Justin Lamy (UC Riverside) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
George Davis (Pepperdine) def. Rubell 6-3, 6-3
 
 
FRIDAY, OCT. 20
Doubles Round of 32:
Sato/Gonzalez (SDSU) def. Lee/Makk 8-5
Marek/Rubell def. Krishna/Nguyen (UC Irvine) 8-5
 
Doubles Round of 16:
Marek/Rubell def. Smith/Weststrate (Cal Poly) 8-7(6)
 
Singles Round of 32:
Makk def. Emon Van Loben Sels (UCLA) 6-4, 7-5
No. 92 Nick Lagaev (Arizona) def. Lee 7-5, 6-3
Marek def. Spencer Johnson (UCLA) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
Aadarsh Tripathi (UCLA) def. Weststrate 6-3, 6-3
 
SATURDAY, OCT. 21
Doubles QF:
Davis/Carlsson Halldin (Pepperdine) def. Marek/Rubell 8-6
 
Singles Round of 16:
No. 22 Makk def. No. 92 Lagaev (Arizona) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 99 Herman Hoeyeraal (Arizona) def. Marek 6-3, 1-6,…