ATHENS, Ga. ? South Alabama senior men’s tennis player Jack Baker rebounded Saturday with a perfect performance at 40th Southern Intercollegiate hosted by the University of Georgia at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. The Jag senior won both his singles matches as well as his doubles match.
Competing in consolation bracket of his draw on Saturday USA’s Baker was able to advance to the semifinal round on Sunday after picking up victories over Predrag Burmazovic of East Tennessee State (6-2, 7-6) and Austen Childs of Louisville (Walkover). Earlier in the day, Baker teamed up with Marek Sramek to take down Adam Baker and Evan Dufaux (Vanderbilt), 8-1. Baker and Sramek are scheduled to face Georgia’s Travis Helgeson and Jamie Hunt on Sunday in the Round of 16.
Sramek opened play on Saturday with a three-set victory over Tennessee’s Chris Racz in the Round of 32. Sramek won the first set 7-6 and 7-4 in the tie breaker but then dropped the second set 6-2. In the deciding third set, Sramek advanced on to the Round of 16 with a 6-2 victory. In the next round, Sramek defeated Pedro Campos of South Carolina 6-4 in the first set, but in the second set had to retire due to cramps from the heat.
In the Division II Draw, South Alabama’s R.J. Nagel dropped a hard-fought three setter to Johannes Pulsfort (South Carolina). Pulsfort outlasted Nagel, 7-6 in the opening set, but Nagel bounced right back and evened things up with a 6-4 victory of his own. In the third set, Pulsfort defeated Nagel, 6-3.
Also competing in the consolation bracket of their respective draws for South Alabama were Robert Hodel and Aaron Kirsan. The two Jags dropped a pair of matches. Hodel fell 6-2, 6-3 to Clint Bowles of Florida State and Kirsan fell in three sets (2-6, 6-1, 6-2) to Christian Welte of N.C. State.
In doubles action, Nagel and Hodel, ranked 59th in the nation picked up a dominate 8-1 victory over Scott Collins and Alan Donald of Wofford. Hodel and Nagel will now face Samford’s Jordan Delass and Renan Silveira in the Round of 16.
Complete tournament results are available at www.georgiadogs.com.
Division I Draw ? Singles
Round of 32 ? Marek Sramek (USA) def. Chris Racz (Tennessee) ? 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-2
Round of 16 ? Pedro Campos (South Carolina) def. Marek Sramek (USA) ? 4-6, 5-3, ret. inj.
Division I Draw ? Singles Consolation
Clint Bowles (Florida State) def. Robert Hodel (USA) ? 6-3, 6-1
Jack Baker (USA) def. Predrag Burmazovic (East Tennessee State) ? 6-2, 7-6
Jack Baker (USA) def. Austen Childs (UL) ? Walkover (Automatically advances to semifinals of consolation flight.)
Division II Draw ? Singles
Round of 32 ? Johannes Pulsfort (South Carolina) def. RJ Nagel (USA) ? 7-6, 4-6, 6-3
Division II Draw ? Consolation Singles
Christian Welte (N.C. State) def. Aaron Kirsan (USA) ? 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
Division I Draw ? Doubles
Round of 32 ? Nagel/Hodel (USA) vs. Scott Collins/Alan Donald (Wofford) ? 8-1
Round of 32 ? Baker/Sramek (USA) vs. Adam Baker/Evan Dufaux (Vanderbilt) ? 8-1
