Thompson Wins ITA Summer Circuit Singles Draw
7/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
July 26, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The final ITA Summer Circuit Event for the Southeast Region wrapped up Monday, July 26 at the University of Alabama Tennis Complex. Highlighting the tournament for Alabama were juniors Michael Thompson and Vikram Reddy playing in the championship match. Thompson emerged victorious 6-1. 6-1.
Thompson breezed through the draw on the way to winning the championship, dropping a total of 12 games in four matches. After a bye in the opening round, he defeated Alex Calott of Charlotte, N.C., 6-3, 6-2 in the Round of 32. He made quick work of Wofford's Joey Francis in the Round of 16, taking the match 6-0, 6-2, and followed that up with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Mario Cardenas of Georgia College in the quarterfinals. Thompson advanced to the finals via a walkover in his match against Gabriel Townes of Atlanta. He then claimed the title over fellow junior and teammate Reddy.
Reddy was forced to battle his way to the championship match. He received a bye in the opening round, and then edged out Derrick Taylor of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College 6-2, 4-6, 11-9 in the Round of 32. His Round of 16 victory came much easier, a quick 6-2, 6-0 win over Memphis' David Henry.
Reddy's quarterfinal match was another tight one. He took the first set 6-1 from Zac Rigsby of Clemson, but Rigsby responded by taking the second 7-6(5). Reddy rebounded to take the super tiebreak 10 points to four to advance. He was up 7-6(5), 2-0 in the semifinals when Georgia Tech's Elliot Potvin retired due to injury, and then was beaten in the finals by Thompson.
Freshman Carlos Taborga advanced to the Round of 16 via a bye in the opening round and a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Gainesville, Fla., native John Veseley in the Round of 32. Taborga's run came to an end in the Round of 16 when he was defeated by Ryan Smith of Georgia Tech 6-3, 4-6, 10-7. Sophomore Harris Barnard lost in the Round of 32 to Ryan Miller of Norcross, Ga., 7-5, 7-5, but continued play in the consolation bracket since he received a bye in the opening round. He defeated Ezekial Sansing of Appalachian State 6-2, 6-3 in the consolation Round of 32, but was defeated in his next match 6-0, 6-0 by Mark Bowtell of LSU.
Senior Trey Walston won his opening round match 6-2, 6-3 against Braden Anglin of Camilla, Ga. He was trailing 6-1, 4-2 in the Round of 32 against Francis before having to retire due to injury. Junior Creighton Blanchard also won his opening round match, a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Zachary Landry of Wofford. He found himself locked in a battle with Davidson's Connor Evins, but fell just short 6-2, 1-6, 10-4.
Sophomore Ian Chadwell received a bye through to the Round of 32, but had to retire due to injury in that match against Cardenas after splitting the first two sets 3-6, 6-3.
The Crimson Tide also had five players compete in the doubles bracket, with Reddy and Taborga reaching the finals before having to pull out. The duo took down Cardenas and Julian Seneviratne of Whittier College 8-3 in the opening round, and then defeated Francis and Taylor Hardy of Opelika, Ala., 8-4 in the quarterfinals. The pair advanced to the finals via a walkover against Leif Shuman and Taylor of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
Barnard and Thompson teamed up to defeat Evins and Rigsby 8-2 in the opening round, but lost to Potvin and Smith in a tight 8-6 contest. Blanchard also entered the doubles draw with Wisconsin redshirt sophomore Alexander Teppert. They won 8-1 in the opening round over Brent Goodbrake of Huntsville, Ala., and Miller, but fell 8-6 to Henry and Jordan Smith of Memphis in the Round of 16.
Players Mentioned
