M-Tennis Sends Two to ITA National Indoor Championships
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | Men's Tennis
Florida's Alexandre Lacroix (Paris, France) and Antoine Benneteau (Boulogne-Billancourt, France) begin play Thursday at the ITA National Indoor Championships, hosted by Yale University at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center in New Haven, Conn.
The event, considered the second leg of the collegiate Grand Slam, will take place Nov. 5-8. No. 23 Lacroix will participate in the singles draw, the first Gator to appear in the men's tournament since Greg Ouellette advanced to the quarterfinals in 2007. Lacroix, a junior, has posted a 10-2 record this season, including 5-2 against ranked opponents. In October, he advanced to the quarterfinals at the ITA All-American Championships, the first major tournament of the season, in Tulsa, Okla.
Lacroix and Benneteau, a senior, will pair up in the doubles draw. The duo holds an 8-0 record for the fall, going 5-0 to win the ITA Southeast Regional Championships title and also posting a 3-0 mark at the Gator Invitational in September.
The singles field consists of 32 players, six of whom compete in the Southeastern Conference, while the doubles field is made up of 16 duos, including four from the SEC.
The tournament kicks off at 9 a.m. Thursday morning, with doubles play preceding singles action. There will be mandatory consolation draws for those losing in the first round, with consolation play beginning on Friday. Consolation draws are redrawn and reseeded.
The event marks the first national collegiate tennis championship that Yale University has hosted.
"We've heard wonderful things about the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center and know that all of our varsity student-athletes are looking forward greatly to participating in this event," said ITA Executive Director David A. Benjamin.
Schedule of Play – ITA National Indoor Championships
Thursday, Nov. 5
Doubles and singles first round
Friday, Nov. 6
Doubles quarterfinals and singles second round and quarterfinals
Saturday, Nov. 7
Doubles and singles semifinals
Sunday, Nov. 8
Doubles and singles finals
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