Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Three Advance to Singles Semifinals at UTR Tournament

(Tribe Athletics)

WILLIAMSBURG — Graduate students Satchel Benn and Alexandre Leblanc and freshman Oliver Hague advanced to the semifinals of the Universal Tennis College Circuit event at the Mackesy Tennis Center on Saturday.

Benn, Leblanc and Hague each posted a pair of wins to earn a spot in the top flight semifinals, set for 9 a.m. on Sunday. Benn and Hague meet in one semifinal, while Leblanc faces Matthew Staton. The championship match is set for 1 p.m.

Benn took out the tournament’s top seed in Liberty’s Matija Samardzic in the round of 16. After dropping the opening set, he rallied to top the Flames’ player in three sets, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (9). Benn followed with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Jakob Esterowitz in the quarterfinals. He is now 5-1 in singles action during the fall.

Hague took out a pair of older teammates in the round of 16 and quarterfinals to move to 6-0 on the fall. He rallied for a three-set win over graduate student Bill Duo to start the day, before downing graduate student Konstantinos Raptis, 7-5, 6-4, to earn his semifinal spot.

Like Hague, Leblanc defeated a pair of teammates to improve to 5-1 during the fall. He rallied for a three-set win over junior Alexander Karman in the round of 16, before topping freshman Nikita Bortnichek in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.

In doubles play, Raptis and junior Sean Joseph teamed to take down the Wake Forest pair of Noah Hahn and Martin Mazev, 6-1. The duo is 4-1 during the fall.

Karman teamed with Liberty’s Ernest Gouws and the duo topped Esterowitz and Matthew Faraci, 6-4.

W&M Results from UTR Tournament  
Flight A Second Round (16)
Oliver Hague (W&M) def. Bill Duo (W&M) – 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-2
Konstantinos Raptis (W&M) def. Sean Joseph (W&M) – 6-3, 6-3
Alexandre Leblanc (W&M) def. Alexander Karman (W&M) – 4-6, 6-2, 6-1

Flight A Quarterfinals
Satchel Benn (W&M) def. Jakob Esterowitz – 6-1, 6-2
Oliver Hague (W&M) def. Konstantinos Raptis (W&M) – 7-5, 6-4
Alexandre Leblanc (W&M) def. Nikita Bortnichek (W&M) – 6-4, 6-2

W&M Results from UTR Tournament  
Flight A Second Round (16)
Satchel Benn (W&M) def. Matija Samardzic (Liberty) – 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (9)
Oliver Hague (W&M) def. Bill Duo (W&M) – 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-2
Konstantinos Raptis (W&M) def. Sean Joseph (W&M) – 6-3, 6-3
Alexandre Leblanc (W&M) def. Alexander Karman (W&M) – 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Nikita Bortnichek (W&M) def. Daniel Kliebhan (Richmond) –  Withdrew
Emmett Potter (Wake Forest) def. Albert Hansen (W&M) – 6-1, 2-6, 6-2

Flight A Quarterfinals
Satchel Benn (W&M) def. Jakob Esterowitz – 6-1, 6-2
Oliver Hague (W&M) def. Konstantinos Raptis (W&M) – 7-5, 6-4
Alexandre Leblanc (W&M) def. Nikita Bortnichek (W&M) – 6-4, 6-2

Flight A Consolation
Matija Samardzic (Liberty) def. Sean Joseph (W&M) – 6-3, 6-0
Chase Robinson (Liberty) def. Alexander Karman (W&M) – 7-6 (5), 2-6, 10-2
Gevorg Mnatsakanyan def. Albert Hansen (W&M) – 2-6, 6-1, 11-9

Doubles Match Play
Raptis/Joseph (W&M) def. Hahn/Mazev (Wake Forest) – 6-1
Gouws (Liberty)/Karman (W&M) def. Faraci/Esterwitz – 6-4

W&M Schedule for Sunday
Flight A Semifinals
Satchel Benn (W&M) vs. Oliver Hague (W&M) – 9 AM
Alexandre Leblanc (W&M) vs. Matthew Staton – 9 AM

Flight A Finals – 1 PM

Related Articles

MORE FROM AUTHOR