LEXINGTON, Ky. — The LSU men’s tennis team has hit the ground running to open the 2006 campaign, picking up impressive wins Saturday at the SEC Indoor Championship.
Junior Ken Skupski continued to play some brilliant tennis, easily handling No. 22 ranked Jakob Klaesson of Ole Miss, 6-2, 6-1. Skupski, ranked 66th nationally, then outlasted No. 2 ranked John Isner of Georgia, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, in three sets. Skupski will face Juan Pablo Di Cesare of Ole Miss at noon (EST) Sunday, in quarterfinal action.
Skupski and partner Mark Growcott continued to show the form that carried them to the NCAA doubles finals last season, in downing Ole Miss’s Klaesson and Bram ten Berge, 8-3.
Skupski and Growcott must continue their superb play Sunday when they face Isner and Antonio Ruiz of Georgia, the team that beat them in last year’s championship match.
Joining Skupski on the singles side will be LSU teammate Colt Gaston, who ousted fellow Tiger Eric DeRoche, 6-2, 6-2, in the round of 32. He then put away the nation’s No. 61 ranked player in Kentucky’s Alex Hume, 7-5, 6-2. Gaston now must go through Georgia’s Ruiz in the quarterfinals.
LSU men’s tennis head coach Jeff Brown was pleased with the performance his squad turned in Saturday.
“Today was a breakout day for us,” Brown. “To have Ken put away the No. 2 player in the nation, then to have Colt pick up one his best wins, was really big.”
The Tigers were also successful in the consolation bracket Saturday. The Tigers won three of four matches in the round of 32.
Senior Paul White went on to defeat Dimitry Babenko of South Carolina in the consolation round of 16. He will face ten Berge of Ole Miss Saturday in the consolation quarterfinals.
“We’re looking forward to getting out there tomorrow and keeping our strong play,” said Brown. “Good wins here will really galvanize our team heading into the dual match season.”
SEC Indoor Championship
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Singles
Round 32
Ken Skupski (LSU) def. Jakob Klaeson (Ole Miss) 6-2, 6-1
Marcus Sundh (UK) def. Martel Campbell (LSU) 6-0, 6-3
Colt Gaston (LSU) def. Eric DeRoche (LSU) 6-2, 6-2
Carey Rubin (UK) def. Danny Bryan (LSU) 6-3, 6-4
Round of 16
Ken Skupski (LSU) def. John Isner (UGA) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
Colt Gaston (LSU) def. Alex Hume (UK) 7-5, 6-2
Consolation Round of 32
Kevin Dessauer (LSU) def. Shaun Young (UF) 6-3, 6-2
Mathieu Thibaudeau (Alabama) def. Jose Moncada (LSU) 6-1, 7-6
James Cluskey (LSU) def. Nick Cromydas (Vanderbilt) 6-3, 6-2
Paul White (LSU) def. Milan Krnjetin (Auburn) 7-5, 6-1
Mark Growcott (LSU) def. Kiril Tcherveniachki (UT) 6-4, 6-2
Consolation Round of 16
Nestor Briceno def. Mark Growcott (LSU) 6-0, 6-2
Alex Schweizer def. Kevin Dessauer (LSU) 6-3, 6-0
Paul White (LSU) def. Dimitry Babenko (USC) 6-3, 6-2
Rawel Dilaj (Auburn) def. James Cluskey (LSU)
Doubles
Quarterfinals
Skupski/Growcott (LSU) def. Klaseson/ten Berge (Ole Miss) 8-3
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Singles
Quarterfinals
Ken Skupski (LSU) vs. Juan Pablo DiCesare (Ole Miss) noon (EST)
Colt Gaston (LSU) vs. Antonio Ruiz (UGA) noon (EST)
Consolation Quarterfinals
Paul White (LSU) vs. Bram ten Berge (Ole Miss) 10:00 a.m. (EST)
Doubles
Skupski/Growcott (LSU) vs. Isner/Ruiz (UGA) 9:00 a.m. (EST)