George Washington University

Sept. 22, 2012

Complete Draws

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The George Washington men’s tennis team continued its dominating play on Day 2 of the UVA Ranked +1 Invitational on Saturday as the Colonials earned two of eight available spots in the main draw singles championships to be played on Sunday.

Sophomore Francisco Dias – who is ranked No. 89 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) – and junior newcomer Nikita Fomin both went undefeated in singles play on Saturday at the Snyder Tennis Center and will compete for the championships in their respective flights.

“I couldn’t be prouder of these players as they were given the opportunity to compete with the best in the nation and they showed they can,” said seventh-year head coach Greg Munoz. “We have compiled a 12-6 record so far with two wins over Top 70 players and I am excited for everyone. We are really looking forward to building on this success not only tomorrow but for the remainder of the fall season.”

Dias opened Orange Singles action with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Johnny Grimal of Memphis before topping North Carolina’s No. 68 Nelson Vick in his semifinal match by scores of 3-6, 6-1, 7-5. He will face the No. 2 player in the country - Virginia's Jarmere Jenkins - in the title match, which will serve as a rematch from a year ago when Dias, a freshman, fell to then-No. 18 Jenkins in a three-hour, three-set thriller by scores of 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-5.

Fomin worked his way to the Gold Singles championship with a pair of victories, including an upset over a Top 60 player. He first defeated No. 52 Alexis Huegas of VCU by scores of 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, then took care of Adrian Skogeng of Mississippi, 6-4, 6-3. Fomin will face No. 70 Sebastian Stiefelmeyer of Louisville in Sunday’s title match.

Freshman Danil Zelenkov went 2-0 on the day in White Singles play with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Penn State’s Bryan Welnetz, followed by a three-set comeback over Cedric De Zutter of Memphis by scores of 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Zelenkov will play for ninth place on Sunday against Jon Ho of Wake Forest.

Senior Alexander van Gils struggled in the Blue Singles flight as he fell to NC State’s Sean Weber, 6-2, 6-1, then dropped a 6-4, 6-3 match to William Kalberg of Mississippi in the fifth-place bracket. Van Gils will play for seventh place on Sunday against Julian Childer of Illinois.

Doubles scores were not immediately available.

Singles action at UVA is set to begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Follow the @GWMensTennis Twitter handle for periodic updates throughout the day.

Orange Singles
#89 Francisco Dias (GW) def. Johnny Grimal (UM) – 6-2, 6-4
#89 Francisco Dias (GW) def. #68 Nelson Vick (UNC) – 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 

Blue Singles
Sean Weber (NCSU) def. Alexander van Gils (GW) – 6-2, 6-1
William Kalberg (UM) def. Alexander van Gils (GW) – 6-4, 6-3

White Singles
Danil Zelenkov (GW) def. Bryan Welnetz (PSU) – 6-3, 6-4
Danil Zelenkov (GW) def. Cedric De Zutter (UM) – 3-6, 6-3, 6-3

Gold Singles
Nikita Fomin (GW) def. #52 Alexis Heugas (VCU) – 6-1, 7-6 (5)
Nikita Fomin (GW) def. Adrian Skogeng (UM) – 6-4, 6-3