Braun, Broska Notch Wins At ITA All-American

Tuesday, October 2

Tulsa, Okla.

All Day

Mississippi State

ITA All-American Championships

Sophomore Florian Broska picked up the highest-ranked win of his career on Tuesday, defeating 57th-ranked Duarte Vale of Florida.

Braun, Broska Notch Wins At ITA All-American

October 02, 2018 | Men's Tennis

2018 ITA All-American Championships HQ

by Caleb Garner, Graduate Assistant/Communications

TULSA, Okla. – With the main draw on the horizon, Mississippi State men's tennis' Florian Broska found himself Tuesday playing for a chance to become the fourth member of the team in the singles main draw at the 2018 ITA All-American Championships.

The sophomore Broska began the day with the highest-ranked win of his young career, completing a comeback victory against Florida's 57th-ranked Duarte Vale, winning 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. After dropping the first set 6-3, Broska battled back to dominate the second frame and even up the count with a 6-1 set victory to force a deciding third set. After taking a 4-2 lead, Broska held off a fierce comeback attempt by the fifth-seeded Vale to hold on and take a 6-4 triumph to advance to the final round of qualifying.

In the final round of qualifying later in the day, Broska found himself in a similar position down a set - this time against Cal's Yuta Kikuchi. After dropping the first set 6-3, Broska opened the second frame on a tear, taking a quick 4-1 lead. Kikuchi did not back down, however, winning six of the last seven games to take the set and match 6-3, 7-5.

In nearby Broken Arrow at Union 9th Grade Center, MSU senior Niclas Braun recorded a solid victory in consolation action, taking a quick 6-2, 6-1 win against Virginia's Ryan Goetz.

Players have an off day on Wednesday prior to the singles and doubles main draws starting Thursday. MSU All-Americans Nuno Borges, Giovanni Oradini and Strahinja Rakic are automatic entries into the main draw. Borges and Rakic, the nation's top doubles tandem along with fifth-ranked Braun and Oradini will take the court in doubles for MSU as well.

For more information on the Mississippi State men's tennis program, follow "HailStateMT" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

MSU at the 2018 ITA All-American Championships
October 2, 2018 – Tulsa, Oklahoma

Singles Qualifying
Second Round – Florian Broska (MSU) def. #57 Duarte Vale [5] (Florida) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
Third Round (to advance to main draw) – Yuta Kikuchi (Cal) def. Broska (MSU) 6-3, 7-5

Consolation – #109 Niclas Braun (MSU) def. Ryan Goetz (Virginia) 6-2, 6-1

ITA National rankings precede player names; tournament seeding in brackets.