Tulsa, Okla. – The University of Florida men's tennis team began day one of the qualifying round on Monday with three Gators advancing to Tuesday's second round of singles.
 
Duarte Vale got things going early for the Gators in the first round of the qualify, going up against the No. 1 seed in the qualifying draw, Gergely Madarasz of Purdue. Vale, riding the momentum of last weekend's doubles and singles titles at the Gator Ranked +1, earned a quick 6-0 victory in the first set. Madarasz even the match in set two after a 6-3 win but it was Vale who prevailed in the final set, earning a 6-4 win to advance to the second round.
 

That's a dub for @DuarteMVale in the first round of qualifying! Vale defeats Gergely Madarasz of Purdue 6-0, 3-6, 6-4#GoGators #TulsaITA pic.twitter.com/AUVnTl2esh

— Gators Men's Tennis (@GatorsMTN) October 2, 2017

 
After dropping the first set 4-6, Johannes Ingildsen settled in against Dominik Stary of Nebraska. In the second set Ingildsen started fast, winning the first four points before going on to take the set 6-2 before eventually winning the third set by a score of 6-2 to win the match.
 

Ingildsen defeated Dominik Start of Northwestern 4-6, 6-2, 6-2!

Perez-Blanco fell to Oradino 6-3, 7-5#TulsaITA  #GoGators pic.twitter.com/GZeU11Pn8s

— Gators Men's Tennis (@GatorsMTN) October 2, 2017

 
Jordan Belga faced off against Jack Jaede of USC in the opening round of the qualifying draw. Belga was in a battle from the opening serve but prevailed, taking the match with set scores of 7-5, 7-6 (4).
 
Chase Perez-Blanco had to battle an SEC foe in Giovanni Oradini in the first round. Perez-Blanco battled throughout, but fell short of the victory, falling 6-1, 6-3. McClain Kessler took on Christian Lakoseljac of Penn State, but fell 6-2, 6-2.
 
The luck of the draw was on Stephen Madonia's side on Monday. Madonia earned the final spot in the qualifying round as the "lucky loser" of the pre-qualifying round. The Lucky losers was selected into the qualifying draw by having their name drawn out of a hat. In order to get their name in the hat they had to have advanced to final pre-qualifying round. In the final round Madonia had to play Christopher Kougoucheff of Louisville but lost 6-3, 6-4.
 
In doubles action on Monday the Gators perfect. Andy Andrade and Perez-Blanco teamed to defeated Kevin Lam and Valentine Vacherot of Texas A&M 4-6, 6-1, 10-7 and Nuno Borges and Strahinja Rakic of Mississippi State 6-2, 6-3.
 
The other doubles pair competing in Monday's qualifying round was Vale and Kessler. The two played well in both matches but had to dig deep to earn the wins. In the first round they played Felix Corwin and Matic Spec of Minnesota, earning a 6-7(6), 6-3, 10-7 win before squaring off with Florian Broska of Giovanni Oradini of Mississippi Stat and earning a 5-7, 6-3, 10-8.
 
Qualifying Round
Singles
First Round
Vale def. (1) Madarasz – 6-0, 3-6, 6-4
(3) Ingildsen def. Stary - 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
Perez-Blanco lost to Oradini – 6-3, 7-5
Belga def. Jaede – 7-5, 7-6 (4)
Kessler lost to Lakoseljac – 6-2, 6-2
(LL) Madonia lost to McNally – 6-1, 6-4
 
Doubles
First Round
Andrade/Perez-Blanco def. Lam/Vacherot – 4-6, 6-1, 10-7
Kessler/Vale def. Corwin/Spec – 6-7(6), 6-3, 10-7
 
Second Round
Andrade/Perez-Blanco def. Sanchis/van Flymen – 6-2, 6-3
Kessler/Vale def. Broska/Oradini – 5-7, 6-3, 10-8
 
Pre-Qualifying Sept. 30 – Oct. 1
Singles
Round of 256
Madonia def. Krizaj  – 6-0, 6-0
Andrade lost to Scaglia – 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
 
Round of 128
Madonia def. Restrepo – 6-1, 6-4
 
Round of 64
Madonia def. Alvaro Verdu – 6-3, 6-4
 
Round of 32
Madonia lost to Noe Khlif – 7-5, 7-6 (5)