ATLANTA – The University of Florida men's tennis team found an abundance of success on the second day of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Championship presented by Oracle. The Gators advanced all three doubles teams to the second-round of the main draw as well as four singles athletes to the second-round.
 
Stephen Madonia got the ITA Regional Championship started on Friday in the qualifying draw with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Colter Decoste of Stetson University. Madonia followed his win on Friday with another victory on Saturday morning against Gabriel Sidney of Florida Atlantic 6-4, 6-3. Madonia's two qualifying wins advanced him to the main draw of the tournament. In the first-round of the main draw he met Bojan Jankulovski of Miami but fell in the match 4-6, 7-5, 1-6.
 
The Gators got things going early in the main draw of singles with Chase Perez-Blanco picking up 7-5, 6-0 win over Remi Chancerel of Florida Atlantic in the first-round. That was followed by wins from Duarte Vale who defeated Felipe Ramirez of Florida Gulf Coast 6-3, 6-3 and McClain Kessler who defeated Quentin Coulaud of Georgia State 6-2, 6-4. Jordan Belga fell in the first-round to Mikhail Sokolovyskiy of Central Florida 6-2, 6-4 while Andy Andrade dropped his first-round match to Sahil Deshmukh of North Florida 7-6(4), 6-3.
 
Oliver Crawford made his collegiate debut on Saturday and just both of his freshman teammates won his first career match. Crawford earned his first career against Joan Carlos Alcala of Georgia Southern 6-2, 6-3.
 

Beautiful backdrop for some great tennis at the @usta / @ITA_Tennis Regional Championship! #GoGators pic.twitter.com/VOskpGA8qY

— Gators Men's Tennis (@GatorsMTN) October 14, 2017

 
After all three doubles teams earned first-round byes in the main draw, the trio of Gator teams all found success in the second-round. The first doubles win of the day came from No. 5 seed Crawford and Perez-Blanco who defeated Sebastian Acuna and Jack MacFarlane of Georgia State 8-2. That was followed by a victory from No. 7 seed Kessler and Andrade who defeated Christian Langmo and Dane Dunlap of Miami 8-7 (4). The final doubles victory of the day came from the pair of Belga and Madonia who upset No. 15 seed Enrique Paya and Sokolovskiy of UCF 8-7 (8).
 

?? Regional Championship ??

Doubles action is finally underway from Atlanta! #GoGators #ITARegionals pic.twitter.com/cVdRvkbgnw

— Gators Men's Tennis (@GatorsMTN) October 14, 2017

 
Coach Shelton on the ITA Regional Championship
"Great to see Oliver play his first collegiate matches today.  I am sure he will get better with each match he plays. As a whole we didn't have our best stuff, but I'm looking forward to playing and competing at a higher level tomorrow. We have to embrace the opportunities to finish strong."
 
Main Draw
Singles
First-Round
(9) Kessler def. Coulaud (GaSt) – 6-2, 6-4
(12) Perez-Blanco def. Chancerel (FAU) – 7-5, 6-0
(13) Crawford def. Alcala (GSU) – 6-2, 6-3
(14) Vale def. Langmo (UM) – 3-6, 6-1, 6-0
Andrade lost to Deshmukh (UNF) – 7-6(4), 6-3
Madonia lost to Jankulovski (UM) – 6-4, 5-7, 6-1
Belga lost to Sokolovyskiy (UCF) – 6-2, 6-4
 
Main Draw
Doubles
Second-Round
(5) Crawford/Perez-Blanco def. Acuna/MacFarlane – 8-2
(7) Andrade/Kessler def. Langmo/Dunlap – 8-7(4)
Belga/Madonia def. Paya/Sokolovskiy – 8-7(8)
 
Qualifying Draw
Singles
Madonia def. Decoste (SU) – 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
Madonia def. Sidney (FAU) – 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-1
  
Up Next
The Gators will be back on the court for day three of the ITA Regional Championship presented by Oracle tomorrow morning for the second and third rounds of main draw singles, the third round of main draw doubles and the first and second round of the main draw singles consolation bracket.
 
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