Mississippi State
SEC Indoor Championships
Bjelica Rolls Into Semis Of SEC Indoor Championships
January 19, 2008 | Men's Tennis
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Mississippi State senior Ivan Bjelica notched a pair of wins, including a victory over the nation's fourth-ranked player Saturday to advance to the semifinals of the SEC Indoor Championships in New Orleans, La. With the pair of wins, Bjelica moves to 3-0 this season.
In his Round of 16 match played early Saturday, Bjelica topped fourth-ranked and the tournament's top seed Travis Helgeson of Georgia 6-3, 7-6(1). The win over the nation's #4 player was the highest-ranked win of Bjelica's career.
In the quarterfinals later in the day, the Belgrade, Serbia native topped Mississippi's Kalle Norberg 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to Sunday's semifinals. Bjelica will face Tennessee's 93rd-ranked John Patrick Smith. Smith advanced to the semis by knocking off two of the tournament's top eight seeds. Bjelica was not ranked in the first spring poll due to not playing with MSU in the fall. Last season, Bjelica ended the season ranked 47th in singles and reached as high as 32nd earlier in the year.
In other main-draw singles action on Saturday, State junior Ryan Farlow fell 6-3, 7-6(1) in the Round of 16 to Nate Schnugg of Georgia. MSU sophomore Chris Doerr dropped a 7-5, 6-2 to the Tennessee's Jeremy Tweedt, the bracket's sixth seed in the quarterfinals of the B Draw.
In singles consolation, two Bulldogs were victorious. MSU freshman Tanner Stump topped Alabama's Trey Walston 6-3, 0-6, 1-0(9). Sophomore Pjotrs Necajevs also won in a supertiebreaker, downing Bama's Andrew Felsenthal 5-7, 6-3, 1-0(7). State freshman Antonio Lastre dropped a tight 3-6, 7-6, 3-6 match to UT's Chris Racz in his consolation match. Also scheduled to play late Saturday in consolation singles was freshman Maximilien Genuini.
In State's only doubles action Saturday, the duo of Farlow and Necajevs fell 8-5 in the Round of 16 to sixth-seeded Schnugg and Jamie Hunt of UGA.
Sunday's action will begin at 10 a.m. CT with the singles semifinals and will conclude with the finals on Monday.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
NEW ORLEANS, LA. - 1/19/08
A DRAW SINGLES
Round of 16-Ivan Bjelica (MSU) def. #4 Travis Helgeson (UGA) 7-5, 6-4; #17 Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. Ryan Farlow (MSU) 6-3, 7-6(1).
Quarterfinals-Bjelica (MSU) def. Kalle Norberg (UM) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
A DRAW SINGLES CONSOLATION
First Round-Chris Racz (Tennessee) def. Antonio Lastre (MSU) 3-6, 7-6, 3-6
B DRAW SINGLES
Quarterfinals-Jeremy Tweedt (Tennessee) def. Chris Doerr (MSU) 7-5, 6-2.
B DRAW SINGLES CONSOLATION
First Round-Tanner Stump (MSU) def. Trey Walston (Alabama) 6-3, 0-6, 1-0(9); Pjotrs Necajevs (MSU) def. Andrew Felsenthal (Alabama) def. 5-7, 6-3, 1-0(7);
DOUBLES DRAW
Second Round-Jamie Hunt/Schnugg (UGA) def. Farlow/Pjotrs Necajevs (MSU) 8-5
