STOCKTON, Calif. - Coming off of one of its most successful seasons in years, the University of Nevada mens tennis team got started on the right foot at the Pacific Fall Invitational this weekend. Nevada had two individuals and one doubles team make final matches for different flights, in addition to a number of other wins along the bracket.
Junior Adam Jooste (Cape Town, South Africa) nearly claimed the Flight A main draw title when he advanced to the final match Sunday facing Pacifics Amar Sigudsson, the No. 1 seed of the flight. Jooste began his run by defeating Sac Stats Matt Jones 6-4, 6-2 in the first round and then upset San0ta Claras Taylor Bedilion, the No. 2 seed, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3. He had another tough match in the semifinals against Sac States Junaid Hossain winning 7-5, 7-6 (4). Sigurdsson ended the great run, downing Jooste 6-3, 6-1 Sunday.
Senior Rudolf Leuschner (Augsburg, Germany) rebounded from an early defeat in the main draw to make the final match of the consolation bracket of Flight A singles. Leuschner lost to Saint Marys Yury Platonov, 6-3, 6-3 on Friday then took down Joakim Rydberg from Sac State who had to eventually withdraw due to an injury. Leuschner then lost the final match to Sac States Matt Jones 6-3, 6-4 Sunday.
The doubles team of junior Rafal Stupka (Dachau, Germany) and freshman Eldar Dzjahfarov (Nevosibirsk, Russia) also made it to the finals in the doubled Flight B consolation bracket. After losing to Pacifics Stephen Concing ad Vlad Adravkovic 8-4 in the main bracket, the Pack duo downed Sac States Assad Malik and Michael Thomsen, the No. 2 seed, who withdrew due to injury. They kept it going by beating Dan Anderson and Thomas Dawson-Roberts from Saint Marys 8-2 and then fell to Pacifics Alan Kelly and Robert Price in the final 8-4.
The most successful doubles team in school history also began their final season together. Leuschner and fellow senior Brandon Sieh (Seattle, Wash.) beat Sac States Matt Jones and Peter Farkas 9-7 but could not pull out the upset against the No. 1 seeded Jan Macek and Taylor Bedilion from Santa Clara in the quarterfinals, losing 8-5. Jooste teamed up with junior Milos Popovic (Belgrade, Yugoslavia) lost to Eric Kochanski and Francisco Zepponi from Santa Clara 9-7 in the semifinals.
Playing in his first collegiate tournament, Dzjahfarov faired well on the singes side. In the Flight C consolation bracket, he advanced to the semifinal round after defeating Santa Claras Blane Sheilds 7-5, 6-2. Dzjahfarov just missed the final match, losing to Sac States Assad Malik 3-6, 7-5 (5), 6-2.
Next up Nevada will travel to Fresno to play in the Bulldog Classic on October 8-10.