Sept. 16, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky senior Alex Musialek defeated a ranked singles player, while he and sophomore Tom Jomby took down a top-21 ranked doubles tandem, kicking off Kentucky’s fall season in successful fashion on Friday at the Olympia Fields Invitational in Chicago, Ill.
Kentucky sent four players to event, including Musialek, who is ranked No. 20 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association preseason singles rankings. The native of Dax, France, posted a convincing 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 113 Ben Chen of Texas on the first day of competition. Before the solid singles win, Musialek and Jomby, both Frenchmen, posted a dominating 8-1 win over No. 21 Spencer Talmadge and Niall Fitzgerald of Notre Dame in doubles action.
Other Wildcats grabbing singles wins were Jomby and fellow sophomore Alejandro Gomez. Jomby took down Billy Pecor of Notre Dame 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, while Gomez defeated Chris Camillone of Texas 7-5, 6-0.
In doubles, Musialek and Jomby continued their undefeated streak by posting an 8-4 win over Casey Watt and Greg Andrews of Notre Dame. Gomez and Ryuji Hirooka took home one doubles win in the opening day, knocking off Sundanwa Sitaram and Chen of Texas 8-1 before falling to David Holiner and Camillone of Texas 8-5.
All told, UK went 6-2 on the first day at the invitational with three doubles wins and three singles wins. Hirooka was the only UK singles lost at the invitational, falling to Fitzgerald 6-4, 6-3.
The Wildcats also performed well in both singles and doubles at the Duke Fab Four Invite, which was originally scheduled to be played in Cary, N.C., but was moved to Chappell Hill, N.C., due to inclement weather.
In singles, junior Anthony Rossi, who enters the fall season ranked No. 95 in the nation, won his singles match over Sean Weber of North Carolina State 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the second round in the men’s singles blue bracket. Also playing in the blue bracket was sophomore Grant Roberts, who scored a 6-3, 6-2 win over Thomas Dehaen of Radford in the opening round.
Rossi will play Nick Jones of Southern California in the second round Saturday at 10 a.m. ET, while Roberts squares off against No. 116 Jarryd Botha of Alabama at the same time.
Kentucky sophomores Maks Gold and Panav Jha both fell in their opening round singles match, but will continue play Saturday in the consolation quarterfinals.
UK claimed two doubles wins at the event with Rossi and Jha defeating Jamie Whiteford and Ben Guthrie of William and Mary 8-3 in the opening round, before falling to Joey Burkhardt and Oystein Steiro of North Carolina 8-5 in the semifinals.
Roberts and Gold also played doubles in the tournament, earning an opening round 8-6 win over Stijn Meulemans and Patrick O’Keefe of Radford. The UK tandem fell in the semifinals to Fred Saba and Raphael Hemmeler of Duke 8-6.
For more information on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, including complete results from the Olympia Fields Invitational and Duke Fab Four Invite, visit UKathletics.com.
Olympia Fields Invitational
Doubles
Alex Musialek/Tom Jomby (UK) def. Casey Watt/Greg Andrews (ND), 8-4
Alex Musialek/Tom Jomby (UK) def. No. 21 Spencer Talmadge/Niall Fitzgerald (ND), 8-1
Alejandro Gomez/Ryuji Hirooka (UK) def. Sudanwa Sitaram/Ben Chen (UT), 8-1
David Holiner/Chris Camillone (UT) def. Alejandro Gomez/Ryuji Hirooka (UK), 8-5
Singles
Tom Jomby (UK) def. Billy Pecor (ND), 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
#20 Alex Musialek (UK) def. #113 Ben Chen (UT), 6-2, 6-2
Alejandro Gomez (UK) def. Chris Camillone (UT), 7-5, 6-0
Niall Fitzgerald (ND) def. Ryuji Hirooka (UK), 6-4, 6-3
Duke Fab Four Invitational
Doubles
Rossi/Jha (UK) def. Whiteford/Guthrie (W&M) 8-3
Burkhardt/Steiro (UNC) def. Rossi/Jha (UK) 8-6
Roberts/Gold (UK) def. Meulemans/O’Keefe (Radford) 8-6
Saba/Hemmeler (Duke) def. Roberts/Gold (UK) 8-6
Singles
No. 95 Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Sean Weber (NCST) 6-4, 6-2
Grant Roberts (UK) def. Thomas Dehaen (Radford) 6-3, 6-2
Jason Tahir (Duke) def. Maks Gold (UK) 6-2, 6-2
Austin Powell (NCST) def. Panav Jha (UK) 6-2, 0-6, 6-3
