Three Bulldogs Advance To Singles Main Draw At ITA Southern Regionals

Friday, October 18

Auburn, Ala.

All Day

Mississippi State

ITA Southern Regional Championshps

Gregor Ramskloger, the top seed in qualfying, advances to main draw after defeating Ole Miss' Jan Soren Hain

Photo by: Trevor Birchett/MSU Athletics

Three Bulldogs Advance To Singles Main Draw At ITA Southern Regionals

October 18, 2019 | Men's Tennis

ITA Southern Regional Singles Main Draw Day 1

by Graham Murphree, Student Assistant/Communications

AUBURN, Ala. – The final day of qualifying at the 2019 ITA Southern Regional Championships was a rewarding one for the Mississippi State men's tennis team as three Bulldogs advanced to the main draw with victories .

State sophomore Gregor Ramskogler, the top seed in qualifying, met Ole Miss' Jan Soren Hain, the No. 14 seed, in the final round. The Bulldog proved a fighter and fierce competitor as he pulled out a three-set affair, winning 5-7, 7-5, 6-2. Ramskogler's first round match in the main draw will be Saturday against M. Sepulveda Garza of Alabama at 3:30 p.m. CT.

State junior Florian Broska, the No. 3 seed, cruised comfortably past Jacksonville State's Ajaz Kaplja 6-2, 6-1 to conclude his qualifying run. Broska will meet Alexy Nesterov of Alabama Saturday in the first round at 1:30 p.m. CT

True freshman Isaac Becroft, the No. 15 seed, met Ole Miss' fourth-seeded Simon Junk in his final qualifying match. Becroft showed his will, posting a 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4 upset of his Rebel foe. In the main draw, Becroft will open against Zhe Zhou of Alabam on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CT.

Stedman Strickland was able to capitalize on another consolation match as the junior met Alabama State's Alejo Calvis Friday morning, winning 6-3, 6-4. The Bulldog now prepares for doubles action tomorrow, pairing with Broska as the No. 4 seed.

MSU rookie Nicolas Ocana, the No. 7 seed, ended qualifying by falling to Auburn's Tom Dollman 6-3, 6-0.

Ocana then shifted his attention to his first round of main draw doubles action. Teaming with Becroft, the duo ousted Alabama State's Alexis Collard and Luka Markovic 8-2.

True freshman Davide Tortora, the No, 7 seed and an automatic entry into the main draw, will meet Thomas Wright of tournament host Auburn in his first-round match Saturday at 3 p.m. CT.

Match play continues Saturday morning at 9 a.m. CT with the doubles second round and round of 16, with one round of main draw singles to follow.

MSU at the ITA Southern Regional Championships
October 18, 2019 – Auburn, Alabama

Singles - Qualifying
Round of 16 (to advance to main draw) - Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) [1] def. Jan Soren Hain (Ole Miss) [14] 5-7, 7-5, 6-2; Florian Broska (MSU) [3] def. Ajaz Kaplja (Jackson State) 6-2, 6-1; Isaac Becroft (MSU) [15] def. Simon Junk (Ole Miss) [4] 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4; Tom Dollman (Auburn) [10] def. Nicolas Ocana (MSU) [7] 6-3, 6-0.

Consolation - Stedman Strickland (MSU) def. Alejo Calvis (Alabama State) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles – Main Draw
First Round - Isaac Becroft/Nicolas Ocana (MSU) def. Alexis Collard/Luka Markovic (Alabama State) 8-2

Tournament seedings are in brackets