Gabriel Diallo Reaches Quarterfinals at ITA All-Americans
TULSA, Okla. – A successful fall tour continued for the Kentucky men’s tennis program at the 2021 ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where three Wildcats combined for nine victories across the nine-day event.
Sixth-seeded Gabriel Diallo led Kentucky with a run to the quarterfinals in the main draw of singles play. The Montreal native earned a resilient 7-6(2), 6-4 win over Nemanja Malesevic of Mississippi State in the round of 64 before coming from behind for a 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(2) victory over Pepperdine’s Daniel De Jonge in the round of 32.
A 7-6(1), 6-2 win over Andres Martin of Georgia Tech secured Diallo one of eight spots in the tournament’s quarterfinals, where he ultimately fell 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 to Clement Chidekh of Washington.
Joshua Lapadat and Francois Musitelli began their runs in the singles qualifying round of 256. Both players blazed through the first two rounds, while Musitelli punched his ticket to the main draw with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Simon Arca Costas of Boise State and Lapadat fell 6-4, 6-4 to Eric Hadigian of Pepperdine in the round of 64. However, Lapadat was deemed one of five “lucky losers” afforded an opportunity to advance to the main draw, anyway.
Lapadat went on to win his next match 7-6(12), 6-3 over Toby Samuel of South Carolina, and Musitelli dropped a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 decision to Ronnie Hohmann of LSU. Lapadat fell 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 to No. 4 seed Finn Reynolds of Ole Miss) in the round of 32.
Kentucky is set to return to the Bluegrass State for the Louisville Invitational this weekend.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, follow @UKMensTennis on Twitter and Facebook, @kentuckymenstennis on Instagram, and on the web at UKAthletics.com.
DOUBLES QUALIFYING
Round of 64
Marino Jakic/Vito Tonejc (DePaul) def. #5 Gabriel Diallo/Francois Musitelli (Kentucky) 7-6(4), 7-5
SINGLES QUALIFYING
Round of 256
#17-32 Joshua Lapadat (Kentucky) def. Matt Summers (Denver) 3-6, 7-5, 6-1
Francois Musitelli (Kentucky) def. Andrew Zhang (Duke) 6-1, 6-2
Round of 128
#17-32 Joshua Lapadat (Kentucky) def. Welsh Hotard (Oklahoma) 6-4, 6-3
Francois Musitelli (Kentucky) def. Justin Boulais (Ohio State) 6-4, 6-2
Round of 64
Eric Hadigian (Pepperdine) def. #17-32 Joshua Lapadat (Kentucky) 6-4, 6-4
Francois Musitelli (Kentucky) def. Simon Arca Costas (Boise State) 6-3, 6-1
SINGLES MAIN DRAW
Round of 64
#9-16 Ronnie Hohmann (LSU) def. Francois Musitelli (Kentucky) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
#6 Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky) def. Nemanja Malesevic (Mississippi State) 7-6(2), 6-4
Joshua Lapadat (Kentucky) def. Toby Samuel (South Carolina) 7-6(12), 6-3
Round of 32
#6 Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky) def. Daniel De Jonge (Pepperdine) 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(2)
#4 Finn Reynolds (Ole Miss) def. Joshua Lapadat (Kentucky) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Round of 16
#6 Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky) def. Andres Martin (Georgia Tech) 7-6(1), 6-2
Quarterfinals
Clement Chidekh (Washington) def. #6 Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
