Two Bulldogs Advance To Singles Semifinals At ITA Southern Regional Championships

Sunday, October 20

Auburn, Ala.

All Day

Mississippi State

ITA Southern Regional Championshps

MSU’s Gregor Ramskogler (pictured) and Davide Tortora will take on each other in Monday’s semifinals after each registered victories in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals on Sunday.

Two Bulldogs Advance To Singles Semifinals At ITA Southern Regional Championships

October 20, 2019 | Men's Tennis

ITA Southern Regional Championships Day 2 Draws

by Graham Murphree, Student Assistant/Communications

AUBURN, Ala. – The Mississippi State men's tennis team continued its dominant play at the ITA Southern Regional Championships Sunday. State went 8-3 on the day with a pair of Bulldogs reaching Monday's singles semifinals after three roster members held eight of the quarterfinal slots midway through play Sunday afternoon.

MSU's Gregor Ramskogler and Davide Tortora will take on each other in Monday's semifinals after each registered victories in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals on Sunday. With Monday's 10 a.m. CT matchup, MSU is guaranteed another entry into the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships Nov. 6-10 in Newport Beach, California, as all ITA Regional singles finalists advance to the national event. Bulldog senior All-American Giovanni Oradini qualified for the Oracle by reaching the quarterfinals of the ITA All-American Championships earlier this fall.

The sophomore Ramskogler, who came through qualifying to reach the main draw, continued to have a successful weekend of play as he faced Auburn's Tyler Stice Sunday morning in the Round of 16. Ramskogler fended off the Tiger for a 6-4, 6-4 victory. After a break, Ramskogler took the court for quarterfinal action, meeting Tulane's Dane Esses. Ramskogler extended his strong weekend once again, pulling out a hard-fought match 6-3, 7-6(1).

The true freshman Tortora looked poised and composed as the No. 7 seed began the day against Nicola Slavic of Ole Miss. Tortora cruised smoothly past the in-state rival in 6-3, 6-3 fashion. Tortora then met Tulane's 36^th-ranked Ewan Moore - the No. 2 seed - in the quarterfinals. Tortora battled like a veteran on court, outlasting the Green Wave senior in a three-set affair 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(2) for the biggest win of his very young Bulldog career.

Junior Florian Broska also notched an upset win over a ranked foe on Sunday as he met Tulane's 61^st-ranked Luis Erienbusch in the Round of 16. Broska cruised in the first set 6-1, then battled back after dropping the second to claim the match 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. Broska then faced Tim Dollman of Auburn, dropping a 6-4, 6-3 decision in the quarters.

In consolation singles matches, the Bulldogs picked up two more wins. Junior Stedman Strickland ousted former local USTA foe and current rival Sebastian Rios of Ole Miss. Strickland proved strong, pulling out a marathon 7-5, 6-7(2), 1-0(5) three-set affair. True freshman Nicolas Ocana met another member of the Ole Miss squad, Jan Soren Hain, winning 6-4, 6-4 over the Rebel. Rookie Isaac Becroft met LSU's Malik Bhatnagar, falling in a tight three-setter 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(1).

In main draw doubles play late Sunday night, Ramskogler and Tortora looked to extend their run in the quarterfinals, taking on South Alabama's top-seeded and 37^th-ranked tandem of Loic Cloes and Clement Marzol. The experienced Jaguar duo proved too stout, taking an 8-3 victory.

Becroft and Ocana were able to pick up a doubles win in consolation action against Auburn's Diego Chavarria and Matteo Devincentis, edging the Tiger tandem 8-7(3).

MSU at the ITA Southern Regional Championships
October 20, 2019 – Auburn, Alabama

Singles
Round of 16 - Florian Broska (MSU) def. #61 Luis Erienbusch (Tulane) [3] 6-1, 3-6, 6-4; Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Tyler Stice (Auburn) 6-4, 6-4; Davide Tortora (MSU) [7] def. Nicola Slavic (Ole Miss) 6-3, 6-3

Quarterfinals - Tim Dollman (Auburn) def. Florian Broska (MSU) 6-4, 6-3; Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Dane Esses (Tulane) 6-3, 7-6(1); Davide Tortora (MSU) [7] def. #36 Ewan Moore (Tulane) [2] 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(2)

Consolation - Nicolas Ocana (MSU) def. Jan Soren Hain (Ole Miss) 6-4, 6-4; Malik Bhatnagar (LSU) def. Isaac Becroft (MSU) 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(1); Stedman Strickland (MSU) def. Sebastian Rios (Ole Miss) 7-5, 6-7(2), 1-0(5)

Doubles
Quarterfinals - #37 Loic Cloes/Clement Marzol (South Alabama) [1] def. Gregor Ramskogler/Davide Tortora (MSU) 8-3

Consolation - Isaac Becroft/Nicolas Ocana def. Diego Chavarria/Matteo Devincentis (Auburn) 8-7(3)

Current ITA national rankings precede player names; tournament seedings are in brackets