NEW ORLEANS — The No. 19-ranked LSU men’s tennis team won four of its seven singles matches and swept its three doubles matches on Friday during the first day of the SEC Coaches’ Indoor Championships held in the Health Club at the Hilton.
Friday’s action showcased the first round of the two singles draws and the doubles draw. Singles’ second round, quarterfinals and consolation, along with the second round of doubles will take place Saturday beginning at 8:30 a.m. CT.
“We had a successful day and we competed very well,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said. “We were able to get quite a few wins and even the guys who lost competed well and were able to build some confidence. We will have a heck of a day tomorrow with the competition being extremely high, particularly in doubles. We look forward to the challenge.”
LSU’s freshmen Julien Gauthier and Ryan Lissner shined in the singles “B” draw.
Gauthier was the first competitor to finish by handily defeating Tennessee’s William Lang, 6-3, 6-1. Gauthier, who is seeded eighth in the “B” draw, will now face Jakob Klaeson of Ole Miss at 8:30 a.m. The win pushes Gauthier’s record to 8-3.
Lissner followed Gauthier’s lead by knocking off Trey Watson of Alabama in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. The Baltimore, Md., native will now face third-seeded Jonas Berg of Ole Miss in the second round at 8:30 a.m. Lissner has won four straight matches and seven of his last 10.
Carlsson received a bye in the first round and will face Tennessee’s Matt Brewer at 9 a.m. in the second round.
In the “A” draw, Michael Venus competed in his first match as a Tiger and put on an impressive premiere as he breezed past Pjotrs Necajevs of Mississippi State, 6-2, 6-1. Venus is set to battle seventh-seeded Kaden Hensel of Tennessee at 10:30 a.m.
“Mike is playing extremely well and did a good job of taking advantage of every opportunity he had today,” Brown commented. “He served well and was able to dictate with his ground strokes. He has a great opportunity ahead of him going against a highly-ranked opponent. We look for him to come out with the same intensity he showed today.”
Jan Zelezny also stayed alive in the “A” bracket when he increased his win total to a team-best 11 by defeating Alabama’s Javier Bess by a 6-3, 6-2 score. Zelezny squares off with Tennessee’s John Patrick Smith at 10:30 a.m.
Senior Kevin Dessauer, a New Orleans native, had a large fan club in attendance for his match with second-seeded Matthias Wellermann of Ole Miss. Wellermann is currently ranked No. 5 in the nation.
The two SEC seniors went back and fourth in the opening set to head to a tiebreaker. Wellerman outlasted Dessauer in the tiebreaker to take the first set by a 7-6 (4) score. Dessauer gave his friends and family a show in the second set by capturing a dominating 6-2 set victory. In the third set, Dessauer was on serve down 4-3 but could not hold as Wellerman broke him and held the next game to take the set and the highly contested match.
Dessauer quickly redeemed himself in doubles where he and partner Zelezny cruised against Alabama’s Jordie Kindervater and Trey Watson, 8-2. The Tiger tandem will have a tough task tomorrow when they face top-seeded Jonas Berg and Erling Tveit in the second round.
LSU will also face the second and third seed of the doubles tournament. LSU duos of James Cluskey and Gauthier, Carlsson and Lissner each claimed 8-4 victories in the first round to setup their top tier matches. Cluskey and Gauthier face second-seeded Luis Flores and Travis Helgeson, while Carlson and Lissner go against third-seeded Bram ten Berge and Wellerman of Ole Miss.
LSU’s doubles pair of Colt Gaston and Venus received a bye in the first round and will face Jakob Klaeson and Robbye Poole of Ole Miss in the second round.
SEC Coaches’ Indoor Championships
New Orleans, La.
January 18-21, 2007
Friday, Jan. 18 Results
Singles “A” Draw
Round of 32
Ivan Bjelica (MSU) def. #98 Colt Gaston (LSU), 7-6 (3), 6-1
#88 Jan Zelezny (LSU) def. Javier Bess (UA), 6-3, 6-2
Michael Venus (LSU) def. Pjotrs Necajevs (MSU), 6-2, 6-1
#58 Bram ten Berge (UM) def. James Cluskey (LSU), 7-6 (2), 6-3
(2) #5 Matthias Wellermann (UM) vs. Kevin Dessauer (LSU), 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3
Singles “B” Draw
Round of 32
(5) Sebastian Carlsson (LSU) received a bye
(8) Julien Gauthier (LSU) def. William Lang (UT), 6-3, 6-1
Ryan Lissner (LSU) def. Trey Walston (UA), 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
Round of 32
(4) Colt Gaston/Michael Venus (LSU) received a bye
Kevin Dessauer/Jan Zelezny (LSU) def. Jordie Kindervater/Trey Watson (UA), 8-2
Sebastian Carlsson/Ryan Lissner (LSU) def. Dan Cash/Erik Corace (UF), 8-4
James Cluskey/Julien Gauthier (LSU) def. Pedro Campos/Johannes Pulsfort (USC), 8-4
Saturday, Jan. 19 Schedule
(All times C.T.)
Singles “A” Draw
Round of 16
Michael Venus (LSU) vs. (7) Kaden Hensel (UT), 10:30 a.m.
#88 Jan Zelezny (LSU) vs. #93 John Patrick Smith (UT), 10:30 a.m.
Singles “B” Draw
Round of 16
(5) Sebastian Carlsson (LSU) vs. Erik Corace (UF), 8:30 a.m.
(8) Julien Gauthier (LSU) vs. Jakob Klaeson (UM), 8:30 a.m.
Ryan Lissner (LSU) vs. (3) Jonas Berg (UM), 8:30 a.m.
Doubles
Round of 16
(4) Colt Gaston/Michael Venus (LSU) vs. Jakob Klaeson/Robbye Poole (UM), TBD
Kevin Dessauer/Jan Zelezny (LSU) vs. (1) #4 Jonas Berg /Erling Tveit (UM), TBD
Sebastian Carlsson/Ryan Lissner (LSU) vs. (3) #24 Bram ten Berge/Matthias Wellermann (UM), TBD
James Cluskey/Julien Gauthier (LSU) vs. (2) Luis Flores/Travis Helgeson (UGA), TBD
(tournament seed) No. ? National ranking