Oct. 19, 2002
Sophomore Evan Austin and freshman Alex Hume advanced to the semifinals of their respective draws Saturday afternoon at the USC Fall Invitational in Columbia, S.C. Senior Elliott Datlow, after winning his first round match, lost in three sets Saturday morning in the Round of 16.
Austin, the No. 4 seed in the A-1 Singles draw, received a bye in the first round of the tournament. He had little trouble with Cumberland’s Alejandro Beiderman in the second round Friday morning, winning 6-1, 6-1. He then faced Pfungwa Mahefu of Florida A&M on Saturday. Again, Austin won in straight sets, this time getting the 6-4, 6-4 victory. Less than two hours later, he faced Winthrop’s Michal Kwiecten. Austin dropped the first set in a tiebreaker but came back to win the second and third sets 6-2, 6-3.
Hume had similar ease with his first two opponents in the B-1 draw. Leading South Carolina’s Nasir Sherazi 6-2, 3-1 on Friday, Sherazi was forced to retire due to injury, allowing Hume to advance to the Round of 16. There, he had an easy time with UNC-Asheville’s Nick Neal, taking care of him 6-2, 6-1on Saturday morning. In the semifinals, Hume, like Austin, lost the first set. The freshman was able to bounce back, taking the second and third 6-4, 6-3, for the victory over Charleston Southern’s Soufien Rechag.
Senior Elliott Datlow, playing in the B-2 bracket, was victorious in his first round matchup with Coastal Carolina’s Gautam Padmanabhan, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. His second round match also went to three sets. This time, though, Datlow was on the losing end, falling to UNC-Asheville’s Adam Branks, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Hume and Datlow teamed up for doubles in the A-B bracket but were unable to get past the Florida A&M team of Mahefu and Noel Wadawa, as they were defeated 8-2.
Hume and Austin will play their semifinals matches Sunday morning and will look to advance to the finals and win their first titles of the fall season.
Friday’s Results
A-1 Singles – Evan Austin def. Alejandro Beiderman (Cumberland) – 6-1, 6-1
B-1 Singles – Alex Hume def. Nasir Sherazi (USC) – 6-2, 3-1 (ret.)
B-2 Singles – Elliott Datlow def. Gautam Padmanabhan (Coastal Carolina) – 3-6. 6-4, 6-1
A-B Doubles – Pfungwa Mahefu/Noel Wadawa (Florida A&M) def. Datlow/Hume – 8-2
Saturday’s Results
A-1 Singles – Austin def. Pfungwa Mahefu (Fla. A&M) – 6-4, 6-4
Austin def. Michal Kwiecten (Winthrop) – 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-3 – QF
B-1 Singles – Hume def. Nick Neal (UNC-Asheville) – 6-2, 6-1
Hume def. Soufien Rechag (Charleston Southern) – 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 – QF
B-2 Singles – Adam Branks (UNC-Asheville) def. Datlow – 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
-UK-
