LEXINGTON, Ky. — LSU men’s tennis junior Ken Skupski knocked off another highly touted opponent Sunday and has put himself in position to defend his SEC Indoor title.
Skupski, who won the 2005 SEC Indoor, defeated Ole Miss’s No. 43 ranked Juan Pablo Di Cesare in straight sets Sunday, 6-2,6-2. He was scheduled to play Antonio Ruiz of Georgia in the semifinals, however Ruiz was been forced to withdraw due to injury.
Ruiz sustained his injury during a quarterfinal match with LSU’s Colt Gaston, whom he defeated 7-6 (6), 6-3.
Skupski will face the winner of the semifinal match between Matic Omerzal and Strahinja Bobusic, both from Georgia. The final match is scheduled for Monday at 11:00 a.m. (EST).
LSU head coach Jeff Brown is not lost on the difficulty of winning back-to-back titles at a tournament such as the SEC Indoor Championship.
“To win this tournament once is a huge accomplishment, but to have the opportunity to win it twice really says a lot about where Ken is now,” said Brown. “He’s playing with a lot of confidence right now and is ready get back out on the court as soon as possible.”
In doubles action, the Tigers’ No. 10 ranked tandem of Skupski and Mark Growcott were unable to beat their nemeses in Georgia’s Ruiz and John Isner, falling 8-3 in the semifinals. It was Ruiz and Isner that edged out Skupski and Growcott in the 2005 NCAA Doubles Championship.
In the consolation bracket, Tiger senior Paul White was beaten in straight sets by Bram ten Berge of Ole Miss, 6-4, 6-2.
SEC Indoor Championship
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Singles
Quarterfinals
Ken Skupski (LSU) def. Juan Pablo Di Cesare (Ole Miss) 6-2, 6-2
Antonio Ruiz (UGA) def. Colt Gaston (LSU) 7-6 (6), 6-3
Semifinals
Ken Skupski (LSU) def. Antonio Ruiz (UGA) wd
Consolation Quarterfinals
Bram ten Berge (Ole Miss) def. Paul White (LSU) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
Semifinals
Ruiz/Isner (UGA) def. Skupski/Growcott (LSU) 8-5
Monday, January 23
Ken Skupski (LSU) vs. the winner of Matic Omerzal (UGA) vs. Strahinja Bobusic (UGA) 11:00 a.m. (EST)