Youth Leads Men’s Tennis at Southern Intercollegiates

ATHENS, GA. – South Carolina men’s tennis kicked off play at the Southern Intercollegiates Friday with three singles wins, including a pair of freshmen claiming their college debuts.

Sophomore Jelani Sarr, ranked No. 118 in the nation, backed up that preseason ranking with a 7-6(3), 6-4 win over UNC Wilmington’s Joseph Wayand in the Red Draw to set up a Saturday meeting with No. 28 Ryan Colby of Georgia.

In the Singles Black Draw, freshmen Gabe Avram and Atakan Karahan picked up wins in their first college matches. Coming off his run to the quarterfinals for the US Open Juniors, Karahan dominated Clemson’s Viktor Markov 6-2, 6-2. The Black Draw’s four seed, he will face Georgia’s Freddy Blaydes on Saturday. Avram shook off a slow start against UNC Wilmington’s Alex Degabriele 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, and will face Clemson’s Maxwell Smith on Saturday.

Play for all seven Gamecocks in the event continues Saturday at the Dan Magill Tennis Center. Links to live video and scoring as well as each day’s results can be found at 2024 Southern Intercollegiates Tournament Central.

Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockMTennis) for the most up-to-date information on the men’s tennis season.

Singles
Red Draw
(118) Jelani Sarr (SC) def. Joseph Wayand (UNCW) 7-6(3), 6-4
(14) Thomas Paulsell (GA) def. Sean Daryabeigi (SC) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3

Black Draw
Gabe Avram (SC) def. Alex Degabriele (UNCW) 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
Atakan Karahan (SC) def. Viktor Markov (CLE) 6-2, 6-2
Paulta Sachin (COL) def. Max Stenzer (SC) 7-6(3), 6-1
Niels Ratiu (GA) def. Lucas Andrade da Silva (SC) 7-6 (3), 6-2

Silver Draw
Christophe Clement (GT) def. Cole Henceroth (SC) 6-1, 6-4

Doubles
Red Draw
Nate Bonetto/Gianluca Carlini (GT) def. Karahan/Sarr (SC) 7-6(7)
(5) Noa Vukadin/Maxwell Smith (CLE) def. Stenzer/Daryabiegi (SC) 6-4