The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Crimson Tide Fall Invitational
Blazers Open Play At Crimson Tide Fall Invitational
10/29/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Oct. 28, 2011
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ----- The UAB men's tennis team opened play Friday at the Crimson Tide Fall Invitational as David Zimmerman and James Gardner highlighted the Blazers' performances.
Twenty teams have players competing in the three-day event this weekend.
Zimmerman and Gardner both won matches in their respective singles divisions while Zimmerman teamed with Daniel Moser to claim an opening round doubles match.
Zimmerman, a junior from Waldronn, Germany, took a 6-1, 6-4 decision over Virginia Tech's Maruricia Antun, in the Namath draw. Zimmerman will now play a second round match Saturday against Furman's Alex Christ.
Meanwhile, Gardner was a 6-1, 7-5, winner over Nate Collins of Furman in the Stabler draw in his first round match. Gardner meets Cody Hall of South Alabama in second round action Saturday.
In doubles, Zimmerman teamed with Daniel Moser to defeat the Louisville duo of Van Damrongsri and Robert Hall, 9-7, in the Crimson draw.
Other Blazers in action on Friday included Chris Helliar who lost 6-4, 6-2 to Virginia Tech's Lucas Oliveira in the Bryant draw; and Danny Manlow who fell 6-3, 6-2 to Ball State's Ray Leonard in the Namath draw.
Moser lost his opening round singles match in the Stallings draw, falling to Pasha Grigorjevs of Chattanooga, 6-4, 7-5. Sophomore Lucas Dirube dropped a 6-0, 6-1 decision to Forrest Edwards of Middle Tennessee in the Musso draw while UAB's Nick Iannuzzi lost to Furman's Norman Chang in the Ingram draw, 6-2, 6-1.
Dirube and Gardner lost a tight 8-6 match in the doubles of the White draw, ousted by the Davidson tandem of Connor Evins and Robert Lightbourn.
