Oct. 20, 2008
LEXINGTON Ky. – University of Kentucky men’s tennis player Bruno Agostinelli battled Georgia’s Nate Schnugg for over two hours and 45 minutes through three sets, each decided by two games or less Monday afternoon. But the UK senior came up short at the end as the Bulldog edged the Wildcat 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-4 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Southeast Regional Indoor Championships Singles Final at UK’s Boone Tennis Center.
As a regional finalist, Agostinelli has qualified for the National Indoor Championships held in early November at the University of Virginia.
Coming into the match Agostinelli ranked 19th in the country, while Schnugg held the No. 12 spot in the nation. Both players held serve in through the first six games of the match for a 3-3 result. In game seven, Schnugg broke Agostinelli to take a 4-3 lead but the Wildcat broke right back in the next game to get back on serve at four-all. The SEC foes held serve through the next four games to force a first-set tiebreak.
In the breaker, the finalists were knotted at three at the first changeover. Agostinelli took the next two points to go up 5-3 but Schnugg came back to rattle off the next four points to take the set at 7-6. It was the first set loss for Agostinelli in the tournament.
Both players held serve through the first four games of set two but that was followed by four consecutive breaks of service by both players as fatigue became a factor almost two hours into the match. In game nine, Schnugg held serve to go up 5-4. Agostinelli held serve to tie the match at five then broke Schnugg and closed out the set on his own serve to force the deciding set. This was not unfamiliar territory for the Bulldog, as Schnugg played three sets in each match of the tournament this weekend – winning them all.
In set three, the first break of serve was by the Bulldog in game six to give Schnugg a 4-2 advantage. But the UK senior broke back in the next game, cheered on by Wildcat fans on the sidelines to get back on serve. Agostinelli held to tie the score at four-all. The Bulldog also maintained his serve in game nine to go up 5-4. Agostinelli went up 30-15 on his serve but Schnugg won the next three points to clinch the title at 6-4.
“This was just two heavyweights going toe-to-toe and neither would back off or give anything away over the three hour match,” said UK men’s tennis head coach Dennis Emery. “The crazy thing is, they both started dead-tired. It was a long week with tough matches in the morning. I felt like at the end of the match, Schnugg stepped up and took a few calculated risks that paid off and that was the difference in the match.
“I am really proud of Bruno. I thought it was a great effort on his part to hang in there and fight even after being down a break in the third set. He is certainly solidifying himself as one of the top players in the country.”
In addition to his appearance in the finals today, the senior tri-captain from Niagara Falls, Canada, has had an amazing fall campaign. In September, Agostinelli reached the final of the prestigious Southern Intercollegiate Championships and won the doubles championship with UK sophomore Brad Cox. Earlier this month at the ITA All-American Championships, he was up a set and a break against the nation’s top-ranked player, Oleksandr Nedovyesov of Oklahoma State before being forced to retire because of leg cramps.
Be sure to check UKathletics.com to track the progress of all UK men’s tennis players.
