DAYTONA, Fla.—After marching three of four players into the semifinals of both the Blue and Gold Flights at the 2009 ERAU Open, the Barry Buccaneers decided discretion was the better part of valor and withdrew from the field.
Barry’s Ales Svigelj, Max Wimmer and Emmanuel Fraitzl each won a pair of singles matches to make it through to the round of four in the “Gold” flight, as did Alex Huegas playing as an independent. Barry enjoyed similar success in the “Blue” flight as Simon Raagard, David Barragan, Jakub Fejfar all advanced along with Jacksonville’s Jimmy Esteban.
In the Blue Flight on Saturday, Raagard defeated teammate Barrigan 6-3, 6-4, while Esteban pulled out a three-set win over Fejfar 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. The final was not played.
In the Gold Flight, Fraitzl out-lasted Wimmer 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5, but both he and Svigelj bowed out to Huegas dueto injuries.
“It was a great tournament for us,” Buccaneer head coach George Samuel said. “Everybody got their feet wet and we now know where we stand and what we have to do moving forward.
“The guys are primed for the ITA Regional next week and I didn’t want to risk further injury to jeopardize that.”
In doubles, Fraitzl and Wimmer fell to an open pair of Embry-Riddle’s Zander Woodford-Smith and the independent Huegas in a tie-break 9-8 (5).
With the Buccaneers out of the main draw, the team decided not to play the back draw matches on Sunday.
Six of nine Advance to Quarterfinals of Embry-Riddle Open
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—The first action of the 2009-10 season began with great success for the Barry men’s tennis team at the Embry-Riddle Open on Friday.
In the singles blue flight Simon Raagaard advanced to the second round for Barry after beating Logan Shalmi from Jacksonville 7-5, 6-1. Raagaard then faced Embry-Riddle’s Zander Woodford-Smith and rallied from one set back to win in three sets 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Also in the singles blue flight was Barry senior David Barragan. Barragan defeated Sean de la Bastide from Embry-Riddle 6-2, 6-2 then defeated Andrew Lerner from Jacksonville in three sets 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
Barry freshman Ruben Penate played Embry-Riddle’s David Spennare in the blue flight and lost 6-3, 6-1. The last Barry player in the blue flight is senior Jakub Fejfar. Fejfar received a bye in the first round then faced and defeated Luke Maricic from Embry-Riddle 6-4, 6-2.
Three out of the four Barry players in the blue flight advanced to the flight’s quarterfinals on Friday.
In the singles gold flight Bucs senior Ales Svigelj faced Florida Southern’s Christian Lange and won 6-4, 6-2. Svigelj then defeated Peter Francis from Embry-Riddle 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the quarters in the gold flight.
Barry senior Sergio Velez played an independent player Alexis Heugas in the first round and lost 6-3, 6-3 in the gold flight.
Barry freshman Marco Mokrzycki won his first career match as a Buccaneer defeating Nicolas Berger from Florida Southern 6-3, 6-1. Then Mokrzycki faced Heugas and lost 7-6 (4), 3-6, 7-5.
Sophomore Max Wimmer faced Adrian Bayh from Embry-Riddle in the gold flight and won 6-2, 6-3. Wimmer then defeated Charlie Rice from Embry-Riddle to advance to the quarterfinals 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
Buccaneer junior Emmanuel Fraitzl rounds out the gold flight action with two wins, advancing to the quarterfinals as well. Fraitzl first defeated Istvan Bolga from Embry-Riddle 6-4, 6-1, then defeated Florida Southern’s Ben Taylor 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Six of the nine players Barry brought to the Embry-Riddle Open have advanced to the quarterfinals.
Saturday’s action will see four Bucs facing off against each other. Fraitzl will face Wiimmer as the winner advances to the gold flight finals. Raagaard will face Barragan trying to advance to the blue flight finals. Also in the blue flight Fejfar will go against Jimmy Esteban from Jacksonvile in the quarterfinals on Saturday. Svigelj faces Heugas in the gold flight quarterfinals as well.