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Jan. 14, 2005
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Virginia men’s tennis team opened the 2005 season with play at the National Collegiate Tennis Classic, proclaimed the “Wimbledon of College Tennis”, Friday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The Cavaliers had two players advance to the singles quarterfinals and two doubles teams advance to the semifinals of the prestigious event.
In singles, two of the Cavaliers’ held their seed to reach the singles quarterfinals. Third-year Doug Stewart (Malibu, Calif.), the tournament’s No. 3 seed, defeated Konstantin Haerle of Rice 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the round of 16 after receiving a first round bye. Fellow third-year Rylan Rizza (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.), the No. 6 seed in the tournament, downed Tigran Matirosyan of Kentucky 7-5, 7-5 in the second round after also receiving a first round bye. Fifth seeded Somdev Devvarman (Chennai, India), seeded fifth, was upset by Kris Kwinta of UCLA, 6-4, 7-5, in the second round after a bye. In the first round, Darrin Cohen (Lafayette, Calif.) posted a win over Karim Alayli of Ole Miss, before falling in the second round.
In doubles, the Cavaliers had two teams advance to the semifinals. First years Devvarman and Treat Huey (Alexandria, Va.) upset Alberto Francis and Kris Kwinta of UCLA, the No. 6 ranked team in the nation, 8-1 in the quarterfinals. Rizza and Nick Meythaler (Owensboro, Ky.) topped Catalin Gard and Alayli of Ole Miss 9-8.
The tournament Saturday and concludes on Sunday.
Virginia’s Results – Day One (National Ranking in parentheses)
Singles – Round of 32
Darrin Cohen (UVa) def. Karim Alayli (Ole Miss) 7-5, 6-2
Ben Harknett (Rice) def. Nick Meythaler (UVa) 7-6, 6-4
(120) Nate Emge (Kentucky) def. Eric Riley (UVa) 6-0, 6-3
(19) Doug Stewart (UVa) – Bye
(22) Somdev Devvarman (UVa) – Bye
(36) Rylan Rizza (UVa) – Bye
(104) Treat Huey (UVa) – Bye
Stephen Rozek (UVa) – Bye
Singles – Round of 16
(19) Doug Stewart (UVa) def. Konstantin Haerle (Rice) 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
(36) Rylan Rizza (UVa) def. (108) Tigran Martirosyan (Kentucky) 7-5, 7-5
(1) Catalin Gard (Ole Miss) def. (104) Treat Huey (UVa) 6-4, 6-3
(99) Kris Kwinta (UCLA) def. (22) Somdev Devvarman (UVa) 6-4, 7-5
(13) Pedro Rice (Pepperdine) def. Stephen Rozek (UVa) 6-4, 6-2
Robert Searle (Rice) def. Darrin Cohen (UVa) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6
Doubles – Round of 16
Rozek/Riley (UVa) def. Emge/Martirosyan (Kentucky) 8-3
(19) Rizza/Meythaler (UVa) – Bye
Devvarman/Huey (UVa) – Bye
Stewart/Cohen (UVa) – Bye
Doubles – Quarterfinals
(19) Rizza/Meythaler (UVa) def. Gard/Alayli (Ole Miss) 9-8
Devvarman/Huey (UVa) def. (6) Kwinta/Francis (UCLA) 8-1
(18) O’Grady/Matalonga (Arizona) def. Stewart/Cohen (UVa) 8-3
Haerle/Harknett (Rice) def. Rozek/Riley (UVa) 8-5