Mihov/Pinheiro Reach Doubles Main Draw at ITA All-American

Oct. 2, 2013

TULSA, Okla. – South Carolina’s doubles team of Tsvetan Mihov and Thiago Pinheiro advanced to the doubles main draw of the Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships Thursday, despite dropping a tough tiebreak in the final round of qualifying. By nature of its No. 32 national rank, the Gamecock duo will continue to play after the withdrawal of another team from the main draw.

Mihov and Pinheiro opened Wednesday’s action with a hard-fought third-round match against Adrien Berkowicz and George Goldhoff of Texas. The match was decided by a single break with the Gamecocks coming out with an 8-6 victory to move into the final round. There, Oklahoma’s Andrew Harris and Dane Webb waited. Ranked No. 50 in the nation, the match went back and forth with neither ranked team able to wrest control. Tied a 7-7, the match went to a decisive tiebreak, which also went down to the wire. The Sooners’ duo edged out the 8-7 (6) victory to earn a spot in the main draw.

Following the match, officials set the doubles main draw and found that an additional withdrawal of a team previously assigned a position left room for the Gamecocks’ tandem, who were originally on the list of seven alternates for the draw. South Carolina’s “lucky losers” join teammates Chip Cox and Kyle Koch in first-round action Thursday afternoon. Mihov/Pinheiro will face No. 3 Junior Ore and Jackson Withrow of Texas A&M. The nation’s No. 26 team of Cox and Koch drew an opportunity to avenge the loss of their teammates, facing Harris and Webb. All doubles matches are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. (ET).

Mihov will also take the court in singles for the first time at the event as that main draw gets underway Thursday morning. Ranked No. 16 in the nation, the Gamecocks’ senior will face off with Notre Dame’s Gregory Andrews, ranked No. 31, at 10 a.m. (ET).

Tulsa is scheduled to have live stats available for all matches in the main draws. Fans can follow at: www.TulsaHurricane.com.