Utah men’s tennis opened the fall slate at the ITA Regionals hosted by Air Force over the weekend.
Geronimo Espin Busleiman and Berk Bugarikj were a powerhouse in the doubles main draw. The Ute duo started the weekend defeating Air Force’s Jack Brown and Tyler Leaird 5-1 (ret.). In the round of 16 Espin Busleiman and Bugarikj defeated Daniel Tores and Maikel de Boes from Northern Arizona with an 8-4 score.
In the quarterfinal round, Espin Busleiman and Bugarikj battled to defeat Montana’s Tom Bittner and Chris Zhang in a tiebreak with a final score of 8-7 (7-3). The Utah duo needed a win in the semifinals match to qualify for a spot in the ITA Nationals. Espin Busleiman and Bugaraikj fought through two tiebreakers but came out victorious over Maximillian Relic and Andra Necz from Montana State. Utah came away with a 7-6 (7-3) 7-5, 10-6 final score to earn a spot at nationals and a spot in the ITA Regional Finals.
After a hard fought final, Espin Busleman and Bugarikj fell just short of the regional title as they fell to Zach Fuchs and Wally Thayne with a 7-5, 3-6, 4-10 final score.
Michael and Jay Blando also found great success in the doubles main draw going all the way to the quarterfinals. The Blando brothers started off defeating UNLV’s Aaron Bailey and Thomas Navarro 8-2. The Utah duo then defeated NAU’s Maciej Ziomber and Lance Urlaub 8-5. The Utes run came to an end in the quarterfinals as they fell to Relic and Necz 6-8.
Geremia Rossi and newcomer Gianluca Citadini made a run to the finals in the consolation doubles draw. First the two Utes defeated Tobias Wallin and Gustavo Campos from New Mexico State 8-4. The two then had a bye before they defeated Air Force’s Kyle Garner and Phillip Deaton 8-5. Rossi and Citadini fell in the finals to No. 4 seed Marvin Schaber and Peter Sallay 8-2.
In the singles draw, Espin Busleiman started the first round with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Zhang. He then defeated Idaho State’s Victor Sklenka 6-3, 7-5. With two wins, Espin Busleiman advanced to the round of 16 where he fell just short to Stijn Paardekooper from Utah State 7-5, 7-5.
Bruno Krenn also picked up two wins in the singles main draw. Krenn defeated Weber State’s William Zulch 62, 7-6 (7-5). He then downed Baltazar Wiger-Nordas 6-4, 6-3. Krenn forced a third set in the round of 16 but fell 6-4, 3-6, 0-6 to…
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