Men’s Tennis Posts Five Wins Against Alabama

Sunday, October 3

Starkville

Mississippi State

MSU Bulldog Invitational

Photo by: Chamberlain Smith/MSU Athletics

Men’s Tennis Posts Five Wins Against Alabama

October 03, 2021 | Men's Tennis

By: Logan Lowery, Assistant Coordinator/Communications

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State entered Sunday's final matches with a mindset to finish out the MSU Bulldog Invitational with the same amount of success it had on the opening two days of the event.

Matt Roberts' Bulldogs were able to do just that with four singles victories and a doubles win against players from one of their Southeastern Conference rivals, Alabama.

One of those wins came in upset fashion as Gregor Ramskogler defeated No. 50 Patrick Kaukovalta in straight sets 7-5, 7-6(2).

"That was definitely a good win today but it definitely didn't come easy, especially the first set," Ramskogler said. "I actually went up break in the first game and got broken twice to go down 1-3 and had a couple of deuce points there. While I was sitting on the bench down 2-5, I just told myself to keep working and I'd have my chances. I knew it was going to come my way at some point and that's exactly what happened."

It was just the second career singles win over a ranked opponent for Ramskogler and his first since he knocked off then-No. 51 Josh Peck of North Carolina at the ITA National Fall Championships on Nov. 7, 2019.

"It's going to give me a lot of confidence," Ramskogler said. "I wasn't the most confident at the end of last season. I kind of rebuilt my whole game over the summer. It came together back home and it's really nice that it's showing here as well."

Ramskogler was not the only straight set winner for the Maroon and White. No. 36 Nemanja Malesevic defeated Enzo Aguiard 6-3, 7-5 and No. 54 Davide Tortora downed Rudi Christiansen 6-4, 6-4.

The Bulldogs' highest-ranked singles competitor – No. 27 Florian Broska – lost his first set 6-4 but battled back to win 7-5, 7-6(4) over Filip Planinsek. It was the second time on the weekend that Broska rallied after dropping his first set.

"What helped me was trying to stay very calm," Broska said. "I got a little chirpy and a little too pumped here and there so I tried to calm myself down and have no reaction – no positive, no negative – so that I know I can stay there. I think that won me the match today for sure and that helped me the other days at the end of the matches."

Broska and Ramskogler also found success against the Crimson Tide in doubles as well, earning a 6-1 win over Aguiard and Planinsek. The sixth-ranked doubles tandem from State went undefeated on the weekend.

MSU finished 19-8 in its overall matches over the weekend, including a 13-5 singles mark and a 6-3 record in doubles. The tournament also featured players from Michigan, Tulane and Wichita State.

"The goal for the weekend was to build our self-confidence and build our self-view," Roberts said. "I think everyone built confidence in themselves. They made one or two steps forward and saw how controlling their inner thoughts can lead to success. That's what it's all about. Tennis is such a mentally draining and challenging sport. We're trying to become the mentally toughest team in the country."

MSU Bulldog Invitational Day 3
Oct. 3, 2021

Doubles
#6 Florian Broska/ Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Enzo Aguiard/ Filip Planinsek (UA) 6-1
Patrick Kaukovalta/ Juan Martin (UA) def. Nemanja Malesevic/ Davide Tortora (MSU) 6-4
Rudi Christiansen/ Joao Ferreira (UA) def. Alberto Colas/ Carles Hernandez (MSU) 6-3

Singles
#27 Broska (MSU) def. Planinsek (UA) 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(4)
#36 Malesevic (MSU) def. Aguiard (UA) 6-3, 7-5
Martin (UA) def. Hernandez (MSU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(6)
Ramskogler (MSU) def. #50 Kaukovalta (UA) 7-5, 7-6(2)
Ferreira (UA) def. #92 Colas (MSU) 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
#54 Tortora (MSU) def. Christiansen (UA) 6-4, 6-4

For more information on the Bulldog men's tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for "HailStateMT" on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.