Oct. 18, 2002

Columbia, S.C. — The University of South Carolina men’s tennis team opened the 2002 USC Fall Invitational with five of six participants earning first round victories. South Carolina is serving as host to 31 schools for the weekend competition.

Angelo Niculescu paced the Gamecocks with his opening round victory in the A-1 bracket of the tournament. Niculescu battled out a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Alan Ambrose of UNC-Asheville to advance to the second round.

Ben Atkinson also moved on to round two with a first round victory. Playing out of the A-2 bracket, Atkinson defeated Jonas Askeland of Armstrong Atlantic 6-2, 7-6(2).

Rob Cassidy and Nasir Sherazi both dropped first round matches in the B-1 bracket falling 6-0, 6-3 and 6-2, 3-1 ret. respectively. Cassidy bounced back to defeat Rodolfo Castro of USC-Spartanburg 6-1, 6-0, staying alive in consolation play. Sherazi was forced to retire from the tournament with an injury.

Gamecock freshmen Jason McAlhaney and Kazuya Otani claimed victories in B-2 bracket play. McAlhaney defeated College of Charleston’s Ahok Ramachandra 6-4, 6-1. Otani defeated Boadan Diaconescu of USC-Aiken 6-2, 6-4. Both Gamecocks will be in round two matches on Saturday.

The Gamecocks closed the day by going 1-1 in doubles play where the team of Rob Cassidy/Nasir Sherazi defeated Nathan Foster and Olivier Zimmerman 8-5 in the A-B doubles bracket. Kazuya Otani and Jason McAlhaney fell to Hampton’s Amine Elouazzani and Ladislav Rezac 8-1 playing in the B-2 doubles bracket.

Action will continue through the weekend with championship matches being played Sunday. Below are results in text format. Please visit www.uscsports.com and click on the link off the men’s tennis page to view complete brackets.

All match results

A-1 Singles — Round of 64

Olivier Zimmerman d. Carl Hesser 7-5; 3-6; 7-6(3)

Matias Oruaza d. Raul Intriago 6-0; 6-1

Marlo Santoso d. Mike Hendricksen 7-6(4); 7-5

Timo Siebert d. Lee Porter 6-2; 6-1

Michal Kwiecten d. R.J. Murray 6-3; 6-2

Albano Franco d. Roger Thiele 6-1; 2-6; 6-2

Vuk Rajevac d. Zalan Kiss 6-4; 6-7(6); 6-4

A-1 Singles — Round of 32

Roger Anderson[1] d. Mark Henderson 6-3; 1-6; 6-0

Lighton Muchinda d. Patrick Suhrbier 7-6(1); 6-3

Doug Stewart[6] d. Giauco Nascimento 6-4; 6-3

Christian Moe d. Craig Anderson 6-2; 6-1

Angelo Niculescu[3] d. Alan Ambrose 6-2; 4-6; 6-4

Olivier Zimmerman d. Arnaud Caffin 6-2; 6-2

Matias Oruaza d. Jose Carlos Pinto[8] 6-3; 6-4

Timo Siebert d. Marlo Santoso 6-3; 6-0

Michal Kwiecten d. Albano Franco 2-6; 7-5; 6-1

Vuk Rajevac d. Wade Orr[5] 2-6; 6-3; 6-4

Pfungwa Mahefu d. Aleksander Antonijevic 5-7; 6-4; 6-2

Evan Austin[4] d. Alejandro Beiderman 6-1; 6-1

Diego Iglesias d. Ruben Herrera 1-6; 6-0; 6-4

Kent Ball d. Ruben Zrihen[7] 7-6(2); 6-3

Mark Finnegan d. John Marte 6-0; 6-1

Eyal Omid d. Seth Rose[2] Wd (inj)

A-1 Singles Consolations — Round 1

Mike Hendricksen d. Lee Porter 2-6; 6-2; 1-0(4)

R.J. Murray d. Roger Thiele 7-5; 0-6; 1-0(8)

A-1 Singles Consolations — Round 2

Carl Hesser d. Arnaud Caffin 4-6; 6-4; 1-0(5)

Raul Intriago d. Jose Carlos Pinto[8] Def (ns)

Wade Orr[5] d. Zalan Kiss 6-3; 6-2

A-1 Singles Consolations — Round 3

John Marte d. Seth Rose[2] Def (ns)

A-2 Singles — Round of 64

Amine Elouazzani d. Chris Magnone 6-1; 6-2

Noel Wadawa d. Marius Jubin 6-1; 6-1

Noah Tyler d. Vedran Sirola 6-2; 6-3

Sanzaruz Zaman d. Adam Adler 7-6(5); 6-3

Dino Mancarella d. Uli Ebensperger 7-5; 7-5

Chris Conyer d. Lavaughn Munroe 6-1; 6-3

Viktor Koczan d. Brett Johnson 6-4; 6-1

A-2 Singles — Round of 32

Jose Menano[1] d. Brandon Smith 6-3; 6-0

Valter Paiva d. Jose Luis Reyes Wd (inj)

Kiril Popov d. Raitis Tukans Wd (inj)

Thorben Kolk d. Harry Ngiam 6-3; 6-3

Ben Atkinson[4] d. Jonas Askeland 6-2; 7-6(2)

Miha Lisac d. Ben Ureta Wd (inj)

Noel Wadawa d. Amine Elouazzani 6-3; 6-1

Sanzaruz Zaman d. Noah Tyler 7-5; 6-2

Chris Conyer d. Dino Mancarella 6-3; 6-4

Viktor Koczan d. Paul Ambrose 6-2; 6-7(4); 6-0

Aly Mandour d. Damian Mulhane 1-6; 7-6(0); 6-2

Alejandro Salazar[3] d. James Thomas 3-6; 7-6(2); 6-4

John Janssen d. Victtorin Fratta 6-2; 6-4

Moises Serrano d. Rodrigo Villarroel 6-3; 3-6; 6-3

Santiago Falla d. Will Shaw 6-2; 6-4

A-2 Singles Consolations — Round 1

Chris Magnone d. Marius Jubin 4-6; 7-5; 7-5

Adam Adler d. Vedran Sirola Wd (inj)

Lavaughn Munroe d. Uli Ebensperger 6-4; 5-7; 1-0(8)

A-2 Singles Consolations — Round 2

Brett Johnson d. Paul Ambrose 6-3; 6-2

A-2 Singles Consolations — Round 3

Brandon Smith d. Jose Luis Reyes Wd (inj)

Harry Ngiam d. Raitis Tukans Wd (inj)

Jonas Askeland d. Ben Ureta Wd (inj)

B-1 Singles — Round of 32

Milos Lizic d. Jason Pieters[1] 6-4; 5-7; 6-3

Tom Van Ooij d. Kamau Murray 6-4; 3-6; 6-3

Nicolas Lupica d. Bryan Knehr 6-2; 6-2

Zia Hai d. Chris Barlow 6-2; 6-3

Philipp Koller d. Stephen Dubienski[3] 6-1; 6-0

Ivan Andrev d. Jason Mengel 7-6; 6-4

Thomas Bross d. Jean Phillipe Cloutier 6-2; 6-1

Gary Kilduff d. Andy Khoong 6-0; 6-2

Alex Hume d. Nasir Sherazi 6-2; 3-1 Ret (inj)

Nick Neal d. Carlos Huerta 6-3; 6-1

Soufien Rechag d. Rodolfo Castro 7-5; 6-4

Alex Navinkov[4] d. Rob Cassidy 6-0; 6-3

Rodney Rapson d. John Snead 6-4; 4-6; 7-6

Artie Peller d. Art Baker 6-4; 6-0

Liran Kling[2] d. Neil Murray 6-2; 4-6; 6-2

B-1 Singles Consolations — Round 1

Jason Pieters[1] d. Kamau Murray 6-1; 6-0

Chris Barlow d. Bryan Knehr 6-2; 6-2

Stephen Dubienski[3] d. Jason Mengel 6-1; 2-6; 1-0(4)

Jean Phillipe Cloutier d. Andy Khoong 6-3; 6-2

Carlos Huerta d. Nasir Sherazi Wd (inj)

Rob Cassidy d. Rodolfo Castro 6-1; 6-0

John Snead d. Art Baker 6-4; 7-6

B-2 Singles — Round of 32

Alec Wilson d. Devin Kahan 6-3; 6-4

Jason McAlhaney d. Ahok Ramachandra 6-4; 6-1

Davin Russell d. Nathan Forester Wd (tae)

Kazuya Otani d. Boadan Diaconescu 6-2; 6-4

Trevor McLeod d. Jason Cordova 5-7; 6-4; 6-0

Bill Brehmer d. Rehman Esmail 6-3; 6-0

Take Morita d. Sean Voorhies 6-2; 6-4

Danie Van DerHeever d. William Khoong 6-3; 6-1

Gustavo Zanette d. Seth Bowman Wd (inj)

Jonathan Clark d. Francisco Diaz 6-4; 1-6; 7-6

Leonardo Casadei d. Christian Rybertt 6-2; 3-6; 6-3

Lenny Lephar d. Clint Morse 6-4; 6-4

Adam Branks d. Tim Offermann 6-3; 6-1

Elliot Datlow d. Gautam Padmanabhan 3-6; 6-4; 6-1

Rawl Martin d. Jackson Hubert 6-1; 6-0

Mohammed El-Bouzkouri d. Jose Acuna 6-3; 6-2

B-2 Singles Consolations — Round 1

Ahok Ramachandra d. Devin Kahan 6-1; 6-2

Boadan Diaconescu d. Nathan Forester Wd (inj)

Jason Cordova d. Rehman Esmail 6-2; 6-4

Sean Voorhies d. William Khoong 6-3; 6-4

Francisco Diaz d. Seth Bowman Wd (inj)

Christian Rybertt d. Clint Morse 6-3; 6-2

Tim Offermann d. Gautam Padmanabhan 6-2; 6-1

Jose Acuna d. Jackson Hubert Def (ns)

B-3 Singles — Round of 32

Nathan Forester d. Matt Davis 6-1; 6-3

Hammond Bowman d. Lee Vanvalkenburg 7-6; 7-5

Charles-Henri Trottet d. James Rushton 6-1; 6-0

Mike Reynolds d. Dan Ramero 6-1; 6-3

Nick Meythaler d. Reid Stubbs 6-0; 6-1

Michael McGettigan d. Josh Vandergrift 6-4; 4-6; 6-3

Jordan Fanney d. Chris Mills 6-3; 6-7; 6-2

John Crudup d. Matt Chenault 6-4; 6-3

Vincent Patry d. Rodrigo Cezar 3-6; 7-6; 7-5

Ladislav Rezac d. Michael Jezt 6-3; 1-6; 6-2

Nathan Forster d. Francis Comier 6-0; 6-0

Marko Rajecac d. Rusty Walker 4-6; 6-4; 6-4

Seth Bowman d. Justin Dimaio 6-1; 6-0

Frederico Ochoa d. Shane Binnie 4-6; 6-0; 6-2

David Bolin d. Mike Vandenabeele 7-5; 6-4

Cave Figueiredo d. Brian Dowis 6-1; 6-2

B-3 Singles Consolations — Round 1

Matt Davis d. Lee Vanvalkenburg 6-2; 6-2

James Rushton d. Dan Ramero 6-0; 6-2

Reid Stubbs d. Josh Vandergrift 6-1; 6-3

Chris Mills d. Matt Chenault 6-0; 2-6; 1-0(8)

A-1 Doubles — Round of 16

Peller A – Siebert T d. Kiss Z – Koczan V 8-5

Nascimento G – Pinto J d. Morita T – Rajevac V 8-6

Suhrbier P – Zaman S d. Hendricksen M – Janssen J 8-4

Conyer C – Stewart D [4] d. Finnegan M – Van DerHeever D 8-6

Iglesias D – Salazar A d. Franco A – Oruaza M 9-8(5)

A-2 Doubles — Round of 16

Davis J – Murray R d. Boz A – Tukans R Wd (inj)

Ambrose A – Neal N d. Casadei L – Paiva V [4] 9-7

Cezar R – Kilduff G d. Ball K – Porter L 8-2

Beiderman A – Khoong W d. Muchinda L – Ureta B Wd (inj)

B-1 Doubles — Round of 16

Rapson R – Rybertt C d. Marte J – Rushton J 8-4

Esmail R – Shaw W d. Martin R – Perna V Wd (inj)

Bross T – Cordova J d. Jubin M – Van Ooij T 8-5

Hai Z – Intriago R d. Barlow C – Fanney J 5-2 Ret (inj)

Lisac M – Magnone C d. Askeland J – Thiele R 8-1

Andrev I – Zrihen R d. Adler A – Cloutier J 9-8

Brehmer B – Lizic M d. El-Bouzkouri M – Padmanabhan G 8-3

Diaz F – Serrano M d. Chenault M – Snead J 8-0

B-2 Doubles — Round of 16

Bowman S – Ramachandra A d. Comier F – Diaconescu B 8-4

Figueiredo C – Jezt M d. Acuna J – McGettigan M 8-3

Elouazzani A – Rezac L d. McAlhaney J – Otani K 8-1

Moe C – Stubbs R d. Hubert J – Vandenabeele M 8-3

Khoong A – Thomas J d. Binnie S – Branks A 8-2

Crudup J – Reynolds M d. Dimaio J – Kahan D 8-6

A-B Doubles — Round of 16

Cassidy R – Sherazi N d. Forster N – Zimmerman O 8-5

Murray N – Offermann T d. Dubienski S – Patry V 8-6

Kolk T – Koller P d. Antonijevic A – Fratta V 9-7

Mahefu P – Wadawa N d. Datlow E – Hume A 8-2

Munroe L – Murray K d. Huerta C – Popov K 8-6

Herrera R – Sirola V d. Mengel J – Smith B 8-4

Ebensperger U – Tyler N d. Mandour A – Reyes J 8-2

Hesser C – Voorhies S d. Anderson C – Knehr B 8-3