NORCROSS, Ga. — The 29th-ranked LSU men’s tennis team completed its final test before dual competition on Saturday at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships hosted at the Racquet Club of the South.
Both Sebastian Carlsson and Neal Skupski reached the round of 16. Carlsson defeated two opponents en route to his final matchup against top-seeded and second-ranked J.P. Smith of Tennessee. Carlsson pushed the matchup to a third set against Smith, but fell by a 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 mark.
Skupski, the tournament’s fourth seed, fell to Georgia’s Nate Schnugg 6-3, 6-2 to close out singles main draw competition for the Tigers.
“Sebastian has done a good job of establishing himself among the top players in the nation,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said. “He had a great fall and continues to improve every match. As a team, we got a lot out of this tournament.”
Saturday closed doubles competition for LSU as well when Carlsson and Julien Gauthier fell to Florida’s tenth-ranked Alex Lacroix and Antoine Benneteau 8-2 in the round of 16.
In consolation singles, James Turbervill defeated Mississippi State’s Hrehan Hakeem 6-3, 2-6, 14-12. Turbervill and Stefan Szacinski, who had a first-round consolation bye, will both compete in the consolation round of 16 on Sunday beginning at 9:30 am. CDT.
SEC Indoor Championships
Jan. 15-18, 2010
Norcross, Ga.
Racquet Club of the South
Jan. 16
Main Draw
Singles
Round of 16
J.P. Smith (UT) def. Sebastian Carlsson (LSU), 6-1, 5-7, 6-3
Nate Schnugg (UGA) def. Neal Skupski (LSU), 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
Round of 16
Lacroix/Benneteau (UF) def. Carlsson/Gauthier (LSU), 8-2
Consolation
Round of 32
James Turbervill (LSU) def. Hrehan Hakeem (MSU), 6-3, 2-6, 14-12
Matt Davis (UK) def. Roger Anderson (LSU), 6-9, w/o ret.
Jan. 17
Consolation
Round of 16
James Turbervill (LSU) vs. Jonas Luetjen (OM), 9:30 a.m.
Stefan Szacinski (LSU) vs. Ed Jones (UT), 9:30 a.m.