TCU
Baylor HEB Invitational
Goritzka, Frog Doubles Stand Out at Baylor Invite
9/24/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Sept. 24, 2010
HEB BAYLOR INVITATIONAL DRAWS & RESULTS
WACO, Texas—A solid team effort in doubles and a standout singles showing by sophomore Sören Goritzka led the TCU men's tennis team Friday in the opening rounds of the HEB Baylor Invitational at the Baylor Tennis Center. Highlighting the action was a victory over the nation's No. 5-ranked doubles tandem by juniors Slah Mbarek and Daniel Sanchez.
Playing together for the first time as Horned Frog teammates, Mbarek and Sanchez opened their 2010-11 season by taking down the No. 1 overall seed in the Men's A Doubles Main Draw, Auburn's Tim Puetz and Alex Stamchev, by a score of 9-8(5). Puetz and Stamchev, ranked fifth in the ITA's preseason national ratings, competed together in NCAA Doubles Championships last spring. The win marked a great start to the season for Mbarek and the newcomer Sanchez, who transferred to TCU after playing two years for Mississippi State.
"It was a great victory by Slah and Daniel to get us started off on the right foot today," said TCU first-year head coach David Roditi. "They played with great energy and enthusiasm on the court, which I thought made a big difference on such a hot and humid day."
Following the victory, Mbarek and Sanchez were knocked out of the competition by Rice's Jonathon Chang/Phillip Seifert, 8-6. TCU also had two other doubles squads reach the Round of 16 prior to being eliminated. Seniors Emanuel Brighiu and Christopher Price, the No. 2 overall seed, downed Maryland's Michiel Doornenbal/Sergio Wyss in the opening round, 8-3, prior to falling to New Mexico State's Jim Brouleau/Arthur Surreaux, 9-7. Senior Zach Nichols and junior Paul Chappell posted a 9-7 win over Oklahoma State's Ilija Martinoski/Eric West prior to suffering elimination at the hands of Texas Tech's fourth-seeded pairing of Raony Carvalho/Vitor Manzini, 8-3.
Goritzka led the Frogs in singles Friday, qualifying for the Round of 16 in the Men's A Singles Draw with a pair of victories. He downed Auburn's Tim Hewitt in the opening round, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, prior to posting a 6-2, 6-4 win over Air Force's Lucas Marin Salcedo.
"Sören was our highlight today in singles," Roditi said. "He competed very well and kept himself composed through tough conditions. It was hot and humid out there, making it very tough to play four matches (two singles and two doubles), but Sören persevered.
Nichols and Brighiu also posted opening-round victories prior to being eliminated from action in the Round of 32. Nichols defeated UT Pan Am's Ashwin Vijayragavan (3-6, 7-5, 6-3) before being bumped out by Baylor's fifth-seeded John Peers (6-3, 6-4). Brighiu downed Baylor's Robert Verzaal (6-1, 6-4) prior to falling to Purdue's Krisztian Krocsko (6-4, 4-6, 6-4).
Mbarek and Sanchez will play on in the consolation Round of 16 on Saturday after being eliminated in their opening matches of the singles 'A' draw. Mbarek, who dropped a 6-3, 6-3 decision to Baylor's Roberto Maytin, downed Texas A&M's John Lewis in his Friday consolation round match. Sanchez, who fell to the No. 3 overall seed Jeff Dadamo of Texas A&M in his opening main draw match (6-2, 6-4), rebounded with a 6-1, 7-5 consolation-match win over Maryland's Michiel Doornenbal.
In 'B' draw competition, Chappell will play in the singles Round of 16 Saturday after his lone Friday opponent, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Alex Pavlov, retired due to injury. Chappell was leading by a 7-6, 3-0 score at the time Pavlov retired. Goritzka and senior Cameron Nash also moved on to the doubles Round of 16 with an 8-4 win over the Idaho pairing of Jose Bendeck/Lachlan Reed.
Competition at the HEB Baylor Invitational continues Saturday in Waco. For complete updated singles and doubles draws, visit the tournament web site via the link at the top of this page.
HEB BAYLOR INVITATIONAL
Waco, Texas (Baylor Tennis Center)
Sept. 24, 2010
Men's Open Singles 'A' Main Draw - Round of 64
Arthur Surreaux (Texas A&M) def. Santiago Centeno (TCU), 6-3, 6-2
Peter Frank (Rice) def. Christopher Price (TCU), 6-3, 7-6(4)
Roberto Maytin (Baylor) def. Slah Mbarek (TCU), 6-3, 6-3
(3) Jeff Dadamo (Texas A&M) def. Daniel Sanchez (TCU), 6-2, 6-4
Zach Nichols (TCU) def. Ashwin Vijayragavan (UT Pan Am), 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
Emanuel Brighiu (TCU) def. Robert Verzaal (Baylor), 6-1, 6-4
Sören Goritzka (TCU) def. Tim Hewitt (Auburn), 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Round of 32
Sören Goritzka (TCU) def. Lucas Marin Salcedo (Air Force), 6-2, 6-4
(5) John Peers (Baylor) def. Zach Nichols (TCU), 6-3, 6-4
Krisztian Krocsko (Purdue) def. Emanuel Brighiu (TCU), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Men's Open Singles 'A' Consolation Draw - First Round
Slah Mbarek (TCU) def. John Lewis (Texas A&M), 7-6, 6-1
Daniel Sanchez (TCU) def. Michiel Doornenbal (Maryland), 6-1, 7-5
Aaron Dujovne (Purdue) def. Santiago Centeno (TCU), 7-5, 6-4
(7) Alexey Grigorov (Texas A&M) def. Christopher Price (TCU), 6-2, 6-4
Men's Open Singles 'B' Main Draw - Round of 32
Paul Chappell (TCU) def. Alex Pavlov (TAMU-CC), 7-6, 3-0, ret.
Ryan Hopker (UT Pan Am) def. Cameron Nash, 3-6, 7-6, 6-3
Men's Open Doubles 'A' Main Draw - Round of 32
S. Mbarek/D. Sanchez (TCU) def. (1) Tim Puetz/Alex Stamchev (Auburn), 9-8(5)
P. Chappell/Z. Nichols (TCU) def. Ilija Martinoski/Eric West (Okla. State), 9-7
(2) E. Brighiu/C. Price (TCU) def. Michiel Doornenbal/Sergio Wyss (Maryland), 8-3
Round of 16
Jonathon Chang/Phillip Seifert (Rice) def. S. Mbarek/D. Sanchez (TCU), 8-6
(4) Raony Carvalho/Vitor Manzini (Texas Tech) def. P. Chappell/Z. Nichols (TCU), 8-3
Jim Brouleau/Arthur Surreaux (NMSU) def. E. Brighiu/C. Price (TCU), 9-7
Men's Open Doubles 'B' Main Draw - Round of 32
S. Goritzka/Cameron Nash (TCU) def. Jose Bendeck/Lachlan Reed (Idaho), 8-4
Tim Hewitt/Lucas Lapasso (Auburn) def. Beau Blackshear (Texas A&M)/S. Centeno (TCU), 8-4
Players Mentioned
