MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Auburn’s Nicholas Heng, Freddy Blaydes, Joey Phillips and Jake Kennedy each finished play at the Blue-Gray National Tennis Classic on Sunday at Lagoon Park Tennis Center in Montgomery, Alabama. Heng and Blaydes finished the event as runners-up in their respective draw in the miniature dual formatted tournament.
“I believe we got a lot out of our first tournament of the fall,” Auburn assistant coach Raul Dobai said after the event. “These events help us understand where each of us are individually and where we need to improve in order to be ready for the spring. The first weekend was a success, not because of the results, but because of the improvement we saw from day to day. I think each player has a clear picture of the things they need to work on and I am excited to attack them on the practice court this week.”
Heng and Blaydes began the event with a sweep of Hady El Kordy and Andres Delgadillo in the first round with a doubles victory followed by a singles win by each. The Auburn pair kept the momentum going on Saturday against Boise State. The duo defeated Idriss Haddouch and Stewart Aronson 8-5, Heng downed Haddouch 6-0, 6-1 and Blaydes beat Aronson by retirement.
Blaydes made it a perfect 3-0 in singles during his first event as an Auburn Tiger with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Manuel Plunger of Clemson, but Clemson pulled out the miniature dual win to win the respective draw.
Phillips and Kennedy were defeated by a Clemson pair on Friday but bounced back by taking a win over Boise State on Saturday. The Tiger duo defeated Julius Seifert and Taiyo Kurata 8-3 in doubles before Phillips downed Seifert 7-5, 6-3 in singles to claim the matchup. Phillips and Kennedy were then defeated by an Alabama pair to close the event on Sunday.
Next on the schedule, Auburn will be represented in the ITA All-American Championships at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, September 20-28.
Friday Results:
Nicholas Heng/Freddy Blaydes (AUB) def. Hady El Kordy/Andres Delgadillo (TUL) 8-2
Nicholas Heng (AUB) def. Hady El Kordy (TUL) 6-1, 6-2
Freddy Blaydes (AUB) def. Andres Delgadillo (TUL) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Edoardo Cherie Ligniere / Yannic Nittmann (CLEM) def. Joey Phillips/Jake Kennedy (AUB) 8-3
Edoardo Cherie Ligniere (CLEM) def. Joey Phillips (AUB) 6-0, 6-1
Yannic Nittmann (CLEM) def. Jake Kennedy (AUB) 6-0, 6-3
Saturday Results:
Nicholas Heng/Freddy Blaydes (AUB) def. Idriss Haddouch/ Stewart Aronson (BSU) 8-5
Nicholas Heng (AUB) def. Idriss Haddouch (BSU) 6-0, 6-1
Freddy Blaydes (AUB) def. Stewart Aronson (BSU) 3-0, ret.
Joey Phillips/Jake Kennedy (AUB) def. Julius Seifert/Taiyo Kurata (BSU) 8-3
Joey Phillips (AUB) def. Julius Seifert (BSU) 7-5, 6-3
Taiyo Kurata (BSU) def. Jake Kennedy 6-2, 6-1
Sunday Results:
Henrik Bladelius/Manuel Plunger (CLEM) def. Nicholas Heng/Freddy Blaydes (AUB) 8-7 (5)
Henrik Bladelius (CLEM) def. Nicholas Heng (AUB) 6-4, 6-4
Freddy Blaydes (AUB) def. Manuel Plunger (CLEM) 6-4, 6-1
Vit Kalina/Matic Kriznik (BAMA) def. Joey Phillips/Jake Kennedy (AUB) 8-4
Vit Kalina (BAMA) def. Joey Phillips (AUB) 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2
Matic Kriznik (BAMA) def. Jake Kennedy (AUB) 4-6, 6-0, 6-0