Bulldogs Open With Twin Bill Victories

Sunday, January 23

Starkville

12 p.m.

Mississippi State

Middle Tennessee

Photo by: Sloane Bush/MSU Athletics

Bulldogs Open With Twin Bill Victories

January 23, 2022 | Men's Tennis

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By: Logan Lowery, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – No. 21 Mississippi State opened its men's tennis season with a pair of victories over Middle Tennessee and UAB on Sunday.

The Rula Indoor Pavilion saw a new attendance record set as 193 fans filed in to watch the Bulldogs defeat Middle Tennessee 5-2 and later saw them complete the sweep with a 6-1 win against UAB to close out the day.

"The crowds were great," said MSU coach Matt Roberts. "It's nice to come in here and play in front of a lot of fans. It's good to get reps playing in front of people and work on executing under pressure and finishing an opponent off."

No. 22 Florian Broska had a big afternoon for MSU, going undefeated in both singles and doubles – two of which were ranked wins. Broska knocked off 30^th-ranked Stijn Slump of the Blue Raiders with 6-1, 6-4 victories in the second and third sets after losing the opening set in a tiebreaker 7-3.

"I think overall I did pretty well, especially considering he had such a weird game style," Broska said. "He had some unorthodox shots so the first set was more of me getting used to his style. His form was very bouncy but I think I did well."

The graduate from Germany also downed UAB's Roman Postolka 6-4, 6-4 and also earned a pair of doubles wins as well. Along with partner Gregor Ramskogler, Broska defeated the Blue Raiders' 44^th-ranked duo of Slump and Pavel Motl 6-1 and later beat the Blazer tandem of Postolka and Nikola Puric.

Ramskogler remained undefeated on the singles side as well. The Austrian senior won 6-4, 7-6(4) over Motl and later claimed a 6-2, 6-3 straight-set victory against Puric.

True freshman Bautista Vilicich also began his collegiate career with a bang, earning a ranked victory in his first singles match. Vilicich knocked off No. 106 Stepan Holis of Middle Tennessee in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.

"He was a real positive to take away from today, especially getting off the court in straight sets the first match," Roberts said. "He doesn't know anyone or who's who out here. He's just playing the ball and that's what I like about him. He's going to be great."

Nemanja Malesevic powered through to pick up a pair of singles wins. Malesevic downed No. 82 Francisco Rocha 6-4, 7-6(8) but the Blue Raider did not go down easy. Rocha thwarted 10 straight match points before Malesevic was able to put him away on the 11^th.

Malesevic defeated UAB's Thanos Spyropoulos 2-6, 6-4, 1-0(8) in the second match and also teamed with Davide Tortora for a 6-3 doubles win against the Blazers' Chase Parker and Vojtech Podzemny.

Tortora also stepped in to earn a 6-3, 6-4 win over Parker in singles in the day's second match.

Carles Hernandez went 2-0 as a singles competitor with wins over Chris Edge of Middle Tennessee 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4 and UAB's Martin Vasquez 6-2, 6-3. Hernandez also teamed with Vilicich for 6-2 victory against Spyropoulos and Vasquez.

Middle Tennessee fell to 4-1 on the year while the Blazers went to 0-1.

"We wanted to get squeezed and pushed today and we got squeezed and pushed," Roberts said. "Now we get to go into this week knowing exactly what we need to do with each guy to help them get a little tidier with their game and more organized on what they want to do on big points."

Mississippi State will meet Arkansas on Saturday at 1 p.m. as part of the ITA Kickoff Weekend at the Rula Tennis Pavilion. Alabama and No. 11 Kentucky are also participating at the event with the Bulldogs meeting one of those opponents on Sunday.

#21 Mississippi State 5, Middle Tennessee 2
Jan. 23, 2022
Starkville, Miss. – Rula Tennis Pavilion

Doubles
1. Florian Broska/Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. #44 Pavel Motl/Stijn Slump (MTSU) 6-1
2. Oskar Brostrom Poulsen/ Francisco Rocha (MTSU) def. Nemanja Malesevic/Davide Tortora (MSU) 7-6(4)
3. Chris Edge/ Stepan Holis (MTSU) def. Carles Hernandez/Bautista Vilicich (MSU) 6-1
Order of finish: (3,1,2)

Singles
1. #22 Florian Broska (MSU) def. #30 Stijn Slump (MTSU) 6-7 (7), 6-1, 6-4
2. Nemanja Malesevic (MSU) def. #82 Francisco Rocha (MTSU) 6-4, 7-6(8)
3. Carles Hernandez (MSU) def. Chris Edge (MTSU) 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4
4. Bautista Vilicich (MSU) def. #106 Stepan Holis (MTSU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Pavel Motl (MTSU) 6-4, 7-6(4)
6. Oskar Brostrom Poulsen (MTSU) def. Alberto Colas (MSU) 6-7(2), 7-5, 3-0, retired
Order of finish: (4,5,6,2,1,3)

#21 Mississippi State 6, UAB 1
Jan. 23, 2022
Starkville, Miss. – Rula Tennis Pavilion

Doubles
1. Florian Broska/Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Roman Postolka/Nikola Puric (UAB) 6-2
2. Nemanja Malesevic/Davide Tortora (MSU) def. Chase Parker/Vojtech Podzemny (UAB) 6-3
3. Carles Hernandez/Bautista Vilicich (MSU) def. Thanos Spyropoulos/Martin Vasquez (UAB) 6-2
Order of finish: (1,2,3)

Singles
1. #22 Florian Broska (MSU) def. Roman Postolka (UAB) 6-4, 6-4
2. Nemanja Malesevic (MSU) def. Thanos Spyropoulos (UAB) 2-6, 6-4, 1-0(8)
3. Vojtech Podzemny (UAB) def. Bautista Vilicich (MSU) 4-6, 7-6 (8), 7-6(9)
4. Carles Hernandez (MSU) def. Martin Vasquez (UAB) 6-2, 6-3
5. Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) def. Nikola Puric (UAB) 6-2, 6-3
6. Davide Tortora (MSU) def. Chase Parker (UAB) 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish: (4,5,1,6,2,3)

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