Main Draw Begins at ITA All-Americans

TULSA, Okla.— South Carolina men’s tennis continued play at the ITA All-American Championships Wednesday with a pair of matches in the singles and doubles main draws. Over the last five days at the event, including pre-qualifying rounds, the six Gamecocks in the event combined to win 12 matches, including two over ranked opponents from freshman Connor Thomson.
 
Playing through and around rain showers throughout the day, No. 35 Daniel Rodrigues dropped a 6-4, 6-4 opening-round main draw match to No. 81 Philip Henning from Georgia, who played through the qualifying draw to get into the match. In doubles action, No. 27 Raphael Lambling and Rodrigues dropped a tough first-set tiebreak to No. 9 Charlie Broom and David Horneffer of Dartmouth before falling 7-6, 6-2 in the main draw first round. Consolation singles and doubles rounds will begin Thursday.
 
For the Gamecocks, the best matches of the tournament have come from Thomson as he claimed six matches over four days to win his way from pre-qualifying into the lucky loser position. Four of those wins came in the first two days as the freshman advanced to the qualifying draw. In the first match of the qualifying rounds, he battled out a tough three-set win over No. 119 Timothy Sah of Stanford for the first ranked win of his career. Thomson added a win over Dan Martin of Dartmouth before falling to No. 86 Luc Fomba of TCU in the final round before getting into the main draw.
 
 
Main Draw Singles
First Round
(81) Philip Henning (UGA) def. (35) Daniel Rodrigues (SC) 6-4, 6-4
 
Main Draw Doubles
First Round
(9) Charlie Broom/David Horneffer (Dart.) def. (27) Raphael Lambling/ Daniel Rodrigues (SC) 7-6, 6-2
 
Qualifying Draw Singles
First Round
(110) Raphael Lambling (SC) def. Ezequiel Santalla (Tulsa) 6-2, 6-2
Connor Thomson (SC) def. (119) Timothy Sah (Stan.) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
 
Second Round
James Trotter (Ohio St.) def. Raphael Lambling (SC) 2-6, 7-5, 7-5
Connor Thomson (SC) def. Dan Martin (Dart.) 6-1, 6-4
 
Third Round
(86) Luc Fomba (TCU) def. Connor Thomson (SC) 7-6(1), 6-4
 
 
UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS
The Georgia Tech Invitational is next on the Gamecocks’ schedule with that event beginning on Friday in Atlanta.
 
For men’s tennis updates, continue to check back with GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team on social media (@GamecockMTennis).
 
 
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