The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Newcomers Highlight Action For UAB Men's Tennis Team
9/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Sept. 17, 2005
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ----- UAB's top two players - Sebastian Falk and Anton Mavrin - dropped close opening round matches but the Blazer newcomers enjoyed success in their first action here Friday at the Crimson Tide Fall Championships.
Afternoon rain showers delayed play for several hours in the tournament.
Ryan Valentine and Kruno Despotovski were first round winners for the Blazers. Despotovski, in his first year at UAB after a stellar career at Barton (Kan.) Community College, won twice on Friday in the "C" Flight singles to advance to Saturday's quarterfinals.
Despotovski rallied to defeat Peter Zimmer of Arizona, 6-7, 6-3, 1-0 (6) and then won in straight sets in his second round match over Samford's James Bryce, 6-2, 7-5.
Valentine won his first round match over Bryan Dushhock of Samford, 6-4, 6-0. He was slated to play his second round match Friday night.
Falk faced a difficult first round draw in the "A" Flight competition in nationally-ranked Tony Haerle of Rice and was edged in the match, Haerle prevailed in the match, 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (5), while UAB's Anton Mavrin dropped an equally tight match, 7-6, 7-6, to Minnesota's Raoul Schwark.
In "B" Flight action, the Blazers' Andre Maier lost to Georgia Tech's Scott Blackmon, 6-4, 6-3, in opening round play.
Players Mentioned
