Florida Gators
SEC Fall Classic - Day 2
Four Gators Advance to SEC Fall Classic Quarterfinals
Sunday, September 21, 2014 | Men's Tennis
Four Gators played their way to the Main Draw Singles Quarterfinals following two rounds of individual action on Day 2 of the SEC Fall Classic, the four-day event that began Friday in Gainesville at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.
Elliott Orkin was the first to secure a spot in the quarterfinal round of singles, following his defeat of Boris Arias of LSU, 6-2, 6-4 and a win over Julian Cash of Mississippi State, 6-4, 6-1. Maxx Lipman followed suit, defeating LSU's Justin Butsch, 6-2, 6-2 in the second round and later taking straight sets from Tassilo Schmid of MSU, 6-1, 6-3 in the Round of 16. Schmid defeated top seed A.J. Austin of Vanderbilt earlier in the day.
Gordon Watson took straight sets from Zvonimir Babic of Ole Miss, 7-6, 7-6, to reach the Round of 16. Diego Hidalgo advanced past Rishab Agarwal of MSU in the second round with ease, earning a straight set victory, 6-4, 6-0.
Watson and Hidalgo were bumped indoors to complete their Round of 16 matches after a rainstorm interrupted outdoor play, but neither allowed the inclement weather to inhibit their game. Watson's Round of 16 opponent, Andrew Schafer of South Carolina, forced the match into three sets when he stole the second set, 6-7, but Watson prevailed and took the deciding set, 6-2. Hidalgo earned a place in the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 7-6 (2) decision over Danny Valent of Vanderbilt.
The doubles tandem of Watson and Hidalgo teamed up for one final victory on the day as they defeated Andrew Adams and Kyle Koch of South Carolina, 8-6.
Jordan Belga remains active in the consolation singles draw. Belga defeated Suresh Eswaran of Vanderbilt in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2, and earned a victory over Gustav Hansson, 6-3, retired.
Gator Sophomore Elliott Orkin
On four Gators advancing to the quarterfinals…
“I think it's pretty cool that four of us are in the quarterfinals. We've all been working very hard in practice. This is our first fall tournament and we've gotten this far. I've actually never had to play one of my teammates in a tournament before, but if we have to play each other that's a good thing. It means we're doing well and moving in the right direction as a team.”
On enduring a four-day event having the first two days extended due to rain…
“It's tough. Mark [Merklein], our assistant coach, always stresses to us the importance of hydrating and eating right. We've been training really hard for this exact reason. We've all had some really tough matches and I think what we've done so far this year as far as conditioning has really helped us.”
Head Coach Bryan Shelton's Notes
On the possibility of Gators facing Gators in the semifinals…
“That would be nice, but overall I think our guys have played well for it being so early in the fall. It's always nice to win because as you win more, you start forming the right habits and expecting it. Obviously the competition is stiff here with a lot of SEC teams represented, so that says a lot about the guys who have made the quarterfinals (Hidalgo, Lipman, Orkin, Watson). This is year two or more for all of them, so they've all made improvements in their games and it's definitely showing with the decisions they're making on the court and in execution. It's nice to see the work our guys put in with doubles and I think we'll learn a lot from that once we get a chance to look at the video.”
On early predictions on how the Gators will compete in regular season SEC play…
“Gordon [Watson], Diego [Hidalgo], Maxx [Lipman] and Elliott [Orkin], all four of those guys fought hard for us last year. They were all in the singles and doubles lineups at the end of the year when we were playing in the NCAA tournament. Those guys were making it happen. They helped us to the Round of 16 and almost beyond. They're battletested, but still young and still have a lot to learn, and they will throughout this season. They're confident they can play with anyone in the country, but they are also humble enough to know they've got to keep working hard to continue to get better because other people are getting better at the same time.”
2014 SEC Fall Classic Day 2 Results – UF Only
Saturday, September 20, 2014
SINGLES
Second Round (Round of 32)
Maxx Lipman (UF) def. Justin Butsch (LSU), 7-5, 3-6, 6-2
Igor Smelyanski (UT) def. Chase Perez-Blanco (UF), 6-2, 6-4
Gordon Watson (UF) def. Zvonimir Babic (OLE MISS), 6-3, 6-1
Diego Hidalgo (UF) def. Rishab Agarwal (MSU), 6-4, 6-0
Elliott Orkin (UF) def. Boris Arias (LSU), 6-2, 6-4
1st Round of Consolation Singles
Kris Yee (VAN) def. Josh Wardell (UF), 7-5, 6-5
Jordan Belga (UF) def. Suresh Eswaran (VAN), 6-0, 6-2
Thomas Mayronne (USC) def. Oliver Landert (UF), 6-0, 7-5
Max Lunkin (A&M) def. Richard Brej (UF), 6-1, 5-7 (10)
Third Round (Round of 16)
Maxx Lipman (UF) def. Tassilo Schmid (MSU), 6-1, 6-3
Gordon Watson (UF) def. Andrew Schafer (USC), 6-4, 6-7, 6-2
Diego Hidalgo (UF) def. Danny Valent (VAN), 6-3, 7-6 (2)
Elliott Orkin (UF) def. Julian Cash (MSU), 6-4, 6-1
2nd Round of Consolation Singles
Jordan Belga (UF) def. Gustav Hansson (OLE MISS), 6-3, ret.
DOUBLES
Doubles Quarterfinals
Vinsant/Catanzariti (A&M) def. Wardell/Landert (UF), 8-2
Watson/Hidalgo (UF) def. Adams/Koch (USC), 8-6
Lindmark/Jorge (OM) def. Orkin/Lipman (UF), 8-5
2014 SEC Fall Classic Day 2 Results – NON-UF
SINGLES
Second Round (Round of 32)
Austin (VAN) def. Schmid (MSU), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
Krickovic (AUB) def. Lakat (MSU), 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3
Kallberg (OM) def. Catanzariti (A&M), 6-4, 6-2
Valent (VAN) def. Adams (USC), 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
Hinnisdaels (AUB) def. Lindmark (6-4, 6-3)
Cash (MSU) def. Parlic (ARK), 6-1, 6-2
Johnson (VAN) def. Saleh (AUB), 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
Reese (UT) def. Den Toom (ARK), 6-3, 6-2
Koch (USC) def. Szabo (A&M), 6-3, 6-3
Ollert (AUB) def. Cruz (MSU), 7-6, 6-3
Schafer (USC) def. Vinsant (A&M), 7-6, 6-4
1st Round of Consolation Singles
Munoz (ARK) def. Swank (USC), 6-3, 6-1
Offerdahl (VAN) def. Dromsky (UT), 6-4, 3-6 (8)
Valero (UT) def. Herrerias (ARK), 6-2, 6-3
Jones (UT) def. Albanese (ARK), 6-2, 7-5
Jorge (OM) def. Freund (LSU), 6-2, 2-6 (3)
Efferding (A&M) def. Marino (ARK), 6-3, 6-2
Newman (VAN) def. Colunga (A&M), 6-3, 6-2
O'Keefe (USC) def. Smith (VAN), 6-2, 4-6 (5)
Cutura (MSU) def. Gowda (OM), 6-3, 3-6 (3)
Hansson (OM) def. Terrell (ARK), 6-1, 6-4
Sawicki (UT) def. Allwardt (VAN), 6-4, 6-4
Kennedy (LSU) def. Haden (MSU), 6-2, 6-1
Third Round (Round of 16)
Krickovic (AUB) def. Kallberg (OM), 6-2, 6-4
Smelyanski (UT) def. Hinnisdaels (AUB), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
Johnson (VAN) def. Reese (UT), 4-6, 7-6, 7-6
Koch (USC) def. Ollert (AUB), 7-5, 6-4
2nd Round of Consolation Singles
Munoz (ARK) def. Offerdahl (VAN), 6-2, 6-4
Valero (UT) def. Mayronne (USC), 5-7, 7-5 (7)
Jorge (OM) def. Jones (UT), 6-4, 7-6
Efferding (A&M) def. Newman (VAN), 6-2, 6-2
Yee (VAN) def. O'Keefe (USC), 6-4, 6-2
Cutura (MSU) def. Lunkin (A&M), 7-5, 6-1
Sawicki (UT) def. Kennedy (LSU), 6-1, 6-2
DOUBLES
Quarterfinals
Mayronne/O'Keefe (USC) def. Newman/Smith (VAN), 8-1
Day 3 Pairings – UF Only
SINGLES
Quarterfinals
Maxx Lipman (UF) vs. Marko Krickovic (AUB)
Diego Hidalgo (UF) vs. Igor Smelyanski (UT)
Elliott Orkin (UF) vs. Rhys Johnson (VAN)
Gordon Watson (UF) vs. Kyle Koch (USC)
Consolation Quarterfinals
Jordan Belga (UF) vs. Bartosz Sawicki (UT)
DOUBLES
Semifinals
Gordon Watson/Diego Hidalgo (UF) vs. Shane Vinsant/A.J. Catanzariti (A&M)
Basic Information
· 2014 SEC Fall Classic
· Scott Linder Stadium at Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, Fla.
· FREE Admission
· FREE parking available at the Levin College of Law lot next to the Ring Tennis Complex
Teams with Athletes Competing
· Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
Daily Schedule of Events
Sunday, September 21st
9 a.m. – Singles Quarterfinals (Main and Consolation)
TBA – Doubles Semifinals
TBA – Doubles Final
Monday, September 22nd
9 a.m. – Singles Semifinals (Main and Consolation)
TBA – Singles Final
TBA – Consolation Singles Final
· NB = Not Before (matches will not start before this time)
