TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler tennis began their 2025 fall season with a two day affair at the Tyler Invite, where they had plenty of bright spots to build on.
MEN'S DRAW
Carel Wessel began his weekend in Flight 1, but ultimately fell in his tight fought opener. He battled back however, taking a 2-6,. 6-1, 10-4 win in his second match, followed by a 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 win on Saturday to wrap up his singles play.
His teammate
Samuel Antwi would also compete in Flight 1, also going 2-1 as he won his first and third matches, each in straight sets by scores of 7-5, 6-4 and 6-4, 6-4.
In Flight 2,
Daniil Felker and
Malo Poulesquen would win each of their first two matches as each secured a straight sets win and a win in a tiebreaker. Those wins set themselves up to match up in the flight final, where Felker ultimately prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 12-10.
Arthur MIquelard would join the trend of players with at least two wins down in Flight 4, as he battled through the opening two matches with straight set wins at 7-6 (7-6), 6-2 and 6-1, 6-2 before ultimately falling in the flight final.
In Flight 5, newcomer
Manuel Lassacher got gritty in his first match, taking a 4-6, 6-1, 12-10 win before taking his next match due to retirement after a 7-6 (8-6) first set.
In doubles, the All-America pair of Felker and Wessel picked up where they left off, rolling in their opening two matches 8-4 and 8-6 to move into the Flight 1 final. In that final, they rolled again, taking an 8-6 win to put themselves at the top of the table.
In the second flight,
Trevor Short and
Job Japelj combined in group two, where they went 2-0 in their two matches played. Their first match saw them take an 8-3 win, and they would follow that win up on Saturday with an 8-6 win.
WOMEN'S DRAW
In the women's action, newcomers
Claudia Di Leonardo and
Hailey Zhang would start their career's off with a win in Flight 2. Di Leonardo took a strong 6-1, 6-4 win, while Zhang battled through a 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 first match win. The two would drop their second round matches, ultimately finishing 1-1.
In Flight 3, newcomer
Maria Antonio Ortega would finish her weekend 2-1, taking a pair of solid wins of her own. She began her career with a 6-3, 6-2 win before falling 0-6, 4-6 in her second match. She responded with resolve, taking a 6-1, 6-1 straight sets win in her third and final match to move to 2-1.
In Flight 5,
Sabrina Pugh added to the newcomer shine as she went 3-0 over her three matches in her flight. All three matches would be decided in straight sets, and she allowed her opponent to win more than three games just once. Her first two matches on Friday saw results of 6-4, 6-3 and 6-1, 6-2, On Saturday, she stayed stout, taking a 6-1, 6-3 win.
In doubles Flight 3, Pugh would pair with teammate
Emily Ryan to battle to a 2-1 record as they took wins of 8-6 and 6-4, and their only defeat was by a score of 3-8.
Elsewhere in doubles,
Luisa Moraes and Antonio Ortega played to a 1-1 record, and
Yona Bancarel and
Natalia Gorzny also played to a 1-1 record.
