TYLER, TEXAS – The UT Tyler men's tennis program has qualified a pair of talented juniors into the ITA Oracle Cup.
SETTING THE STAGE
The ITA Oracle Cup dates back to 1986, and it is the only singles and doubles national championship event for Division II and NAIA levels of competition. The singles and doubles portions of the tournament will feature 16 entries. Those competitors have competed in eight regional tournaments to determine who will make the national tournament.
UT Tyler most recently had a player qualify for the ITA Oracle Cup in 2017. Arthur Fagundes qualified as a singles competitor that season and finished in eighth overall.
HOW WE GOT HERE
Gonzalo Fernandez Gil and
Joaquin Bianchi fared strongly at the ITA South Central Regional tournament just two weeks ago. The pair teamed up to take on the doubles bracket, making a spirited run to the final. In the final, the duo would ultimately fall to Martinez Roca and Westwick of Midwestern State by a score of 6-3, 7-6(3). However, that strong performance was enough to secure an at-large bid into the ITA Oracle Cup.
Fernandez Gil and Bianchi would also take on the singles portion of the ITA South Central Regional. Both players took down top 16 seeded competitors on their way to the final. It was an all-UT Tyler championship match as the duo would end up facing off to determine the automatic qualifier. Coach
Adam Cohen made the decision to pull Bianchi before the match, giving Fernandez Gil the qualifications necessary to advance. The ITA selection committee determined that Bianchi had fared well, and honored him with an at-large bid into the ITA Oracle Cup.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Play is scheduled to begin on Thursday at 9 a.m. for the singles draw. Fernandez Gil will be taking on np. 4 overall seeded Andrea Zamurri from Northwest Missouri State. Bianchi will be battling Joaquin Benoit of North Georgia.
The doubles draw will begin at 2 p.m. The Patriots duo will face off against the number one overall seed Cueto Ramos and Regalado out of Columbus State.
ROUNDING OUT THE FALL SLATE
Following the ITA Oracle Cup, both Patriots tennis programs will make their way to Wichita Falls, Texas on Oct. 22-23. Both teams will be playing in the Midwestern State Invitational over the two day stretch. That will be the last tournament of the fall semester for both programs as they head into winter break.
