ATLANTA — LSU’s Peter Richman knocked off 32nd-ranked Catalin Gard of Ole Miss and Auburn’s 10th-ranked Rameez Junaid on Friday to advance to the quarterfinal round of the prestigious Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships here in Atlanta, Ga.
“This has to be a huge confidence boost for Peter,” said LSU head coach Jeff Brown. “He’s won three big matches this weekend against ranked opponents and it shows the improvements that he’s made in his game. Last year, he was close to winning these types of matches, but now he is winning them.”
Richman, a native of Toronto, Canada, defeated Gard in the round of 32 by a score of 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(4) and then earned the first victory of his career over a top-10 ranked opponent by topping Junaid, 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-2. In the opening round of competition, Richman defeated South Carolina’s 93rd-ranked Marcus Westman.
LSU also had two doubles teams advance to the quarterfinals of the 2003 SEC Indoor Championships on Friday.
The Tigers’ 24th-ranked duo of Bryan Fisher and Jason Hazley picked up wins over Auburn’s combination of Columbo/Schiller, 8-4, and Florida’s
McDonald/Mirzadeh, 8-2, while LSU’s doubles team of Cory Ross and Brandon Nicholson earned wins against Alabama’s Boyles/Friedman, 8-4, and Ole Miss’ Alayli/Chucri, 9-8(4).
Play will resume at the 2003 SEC Indoor Championships on Saturday at 8 a.m. (CST) here in Atlanta, Ga.
2003 SEC Indoor Championships
Day Two Results
Round of 32 Singles
#35 Nicolas Boeker (UGA) def. #124 Jason Hazley (LSU), 7-6 (5), 6-2
#29 Janne Holmia (UF) def. Paul White (LSU), 7-6 (3), 6-1
Peter Richman (LSU) def. #32 Catalin Gard (OM), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4)
Round of 16 Singles
Peter Richman (LSU) def. #10 Rameez Juniad (Aub), 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-2
Round of 32 Doubles
Ross/Nicholson (LSU) def. Boyles/Friedman (Ala), 8-4
#24 Fisher/Hazley (LSU) def. Colombo/Schiller (Aub), 8-4
Round of 16 Doubles
Ross/Nicholson (LSU) def. Alayli/Chucri (OM), 9-8 (4)
#24 Fisher/Hazley (LSU) def. McDonald/Mirzadeh (UF), 8-2