AUBURN, Ala. – Manel Lazaro highlighted Auburn men's tennis action at the ITA Southern Regional Championships, advancing to the singles semifinals as the tournament concluded Monday at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. The Tigers also saw two doubles teams reach the quarterfinals during the five-day event.
“Manel Lazaro is an absolute fighter,” said associate head coach Trey Morris. “He showed that through last spring during his first semester at Auburn. He showed that again all tournament long. He’s gotten a lot better in his short time on the Plains, and he’s going to continue to get better.
“He’s one of those guys that you want on your team. He has tremendous character and a lot of ability. We’re just starting to see the tip of the iceberg on what that ability is. We see it in practice, and he’s starting to show it on the match court. He still has a lot further to go, but we’re excited for him and proud of the effort he gave all tournament.”
Lazaro earned four singles victories over the opening three days of competition, including three three-set wins, before his run came to an end Monday against Ole Miss' Niccolo Baroni. Lazaro claimed the opening set 6-4 before Baroni rallied to take the next two sets 6-3, 6-0 to clinch a berth into the NCAA Singles Championships.
Lazaro opened the tournament on Friday with a 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3 victory over Louisiana's Samuel Kyjaci before defeating North Alabama's Alberto Altur 6-3, 6-4 to advance to Saturday's round of 16.
Facing Ole Miss' Moritz Kudernatsch, Lazaro battled through another three-set match, claiming a 7-6 (4), 3-6, 7-5 victory to secure a spot in Sunday's quarterfinals. Lazaro then rallied from a set down against UAB's Conor Flynn, winning 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 to punch his ticket to the semifinals.
Auburn opened Friday's singles main draw with five first-round victories. In addition to Lazaro, Tyler Bowers, Joey Phillips, Freddy Blaydes and Patrik Munkhammar all advanced to the second round.
Blaydes and Munkhammar joined Lazaro in the round of 16 with second-round victories Friday. Blaydes defeated Alabama's Antonio Volijavec 6-2, 6-3, while Munkhammar rallied past UAB's Ondrej Valek 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. Both Tigers saw their singles runs end Saturday, with Blaydes falling to Ole Miss' Mason Landreth 6-2, 6-4 and Munkhammar dropping a three-set decision to Ole Miss' Niccolo Baroni 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.
Alvaro Jimenez also picked up a singles victory Friday, defeating UAB's Axel Frechet 6-1, 6-3 in consolation action.
In doubles competition, Auburn sent two teams to Sunday's quarterfinals after each earned a pair of victories Saturday.
Jake Kennedy and Phillips opened doubles play with an 8-6 victory over South Alabama's Deren Yigin and Jules Caby before defeating Louisiana's William Ribero and Jade William 8-3 in the round of 16.
Blaydes and Bowers also earned two doubles victories Saturday, defeating South Alabama's Harlod van Raemdonck and Victor Frumholz 8-5 before securing an 8-6 win over Ole Miss' Vlado Jankanj and Mason Landreth.
Both Auburn tandems saw their doubles runs conclude in Sunday's quarterfinals. Kennedy and Phillips fell to North Alabama's Ethan Dasset and Alberto Altur 8-6, while Blaydes and Bowers dropped an 8-5 decision to Alabama's Aleksander Blus and Theo Hegarty.
“Overall, we saw lots of fight from our guys,” Morris added. “Definitely some things that as we look back on the weekend that we need to clean up and improve as we head into this week. We talk about the standard that is Auburn tennis, we expect to be better than we were this weekend. That’s the bottom line.
“This is the fall. We have a very young team. This is a good time for us to see the things that we need to grow and gives us the opportunity as coaches to then get back on the training court and make those adjustments for our main team season. Overall, we’re not where we want to be but I’m happy with the effort the guys are showing, happy with the character of this program and excited to get back on the training court and continue to clean some things up.”
Auburn concluded the ITA Southern Regional Championships with 10 singles victories and four doubles wins, highlighted by Lazaro's semifinal appearance.
Men’s tennis continues fall action later this afternoon as Duje Markovina and Tyler Bowers are in action at M15 Lexington in Lexington, Kentucky. Qualifying rounds are underway. Live results can by found at World Tennis Tour.
AUBURN RESULTS
Friday, October 9
Men’s Singles Main Draw First Round
Tyler Bowers (AUB) def. Noah Koffi (ALA A&M) 7-5, 6-2
Joey Phillips (AUB) def. Àlex Sala Pagès (SAM) 6-1, 6-3
Freddy Blaydes (AUB) def. David Simeonov (ULL) 6-3, 6-1
Patrik Munkhammar (AUB) def. Aleksander Blus (ALA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-1
Manel Lazaro (AUB) def. Samuel Kyjaci (ULL) 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3
Nakajima Satoru (UNA) def. Alvaro Jimenez (AUB) 6-4, 6-1
Men’s Singles Main Draw Second Round
Freddy Blaydes (AUB) def. Antonio Volijavec (ALA) 6-2, 6-3
Patrik Munkhammar (AUB) def. Ondrej Valek (UAB) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Manel Lazaro (AUB) def. Alberto Altur (UNA) 6-3, 6-4
Kai Milburn (OM) def. Tyler Bowers (AUB) 6-3, 6-4
Marko Milosavljevic (JAX ST) def. Joey Phillips (AUB) 7-6 (5), 7-5
Men’s Singles Consolation
Alvaro Jimenez (AUB) def. Axel Frechet (UAB) 6-1, 6-3
Saturday, October 10
Men’s Singles Main Draw Round of 16
Manel Lazaro (AUB) def. Moritz Kudernatsch (OM) 7-6 (4), 3-6, 7-5
Mason Landreth (OM) def. Freddy Blaydes (AUB) 6-2, 6-4
Niccolo Baroni (OM) def. Patrik Munkhammar (AUB) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Men’s Doubles Main Draw Round of 32
Jake Kennedy/Joey Phillips (AUB) def. Deren Yigin/Jules Caby (USA) 8-6
Freddy Blaydes/Tyler Bowers (AUB) def. Harlod van Raemdonck/Victor Frumholz (USA) 8-5
Jacopo Borsoi/Marshall Landry (MSST) def. Alvaro Jimenez/Patrik Munkhammar (AUB) 8-7 (2)
Men’s Doubles Main Draw Round of 16
Jake Kennedy/Joey Phillips (AUB) def. William Ribero/Jade William (ULL) 8-3
Freddy Blaydes/Tyler Bowers (AUB) def. Vlado Jankanj/Mason Landreth (OM) 8-6
Sunday, October 11
Men’s Singles Main Draw Quarterfinals
Manel Lazaro (AUB) def. Conor Flynn (UAB) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1
Men’s Singles Pick-Up Match
Braden Hanning (ALA) def. Alvaro Jimenez (AUB) 6-4, 7-6 (2)
Men’s Doubles Quarterfinals
Ethan Dasset/Alberto Altur (UNA) def. Jake Kennedy/Joey Phillips (AUB) 8-6
Aleksander Blus/Theo Hegarty (ALA) def. Freddy Blaydes/Tyler Bowers (AUB) 8-5
Monday, October 12
Men’s Singles Main Draw Semifinal
Niccolo Baroni (OM) def. Manel Lazaro (AUB) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0