Results
HOLLAND, Mich. – The Calvin University men's tennis team opened its season with a strong showing at the two-day Hope Invitational on September 11 and 12.
Rodrigo Alipio (Santos, São Paulo, Brazil/COC Universitario) led the way for Calvin by winning the 'A' singles draw. Alipio won his opening round match 8-4, his second match 8-3, and then took the bracket with a 6-4, 6-1 win in straight sets in the final.
Alipio also teamed with
Felipe Sartori (Estr. Basileia/Colegio Giusto Zonzini) in the 'A' doubles bracket to win the consolation final 8-4.
Caleb Bartels (Loch Lloyd, Mo./Kansas City Christian) overcame a first-round defeat in the 'A' singles draw to reach the consolation final before dropping that match 8-6.
In the 'B' single bracket, Sartori won his first round match before losing his next two matches, while
Diego Castellanos (Tarija, Bolivia/La Salle Tarija) reached the consolation final in that side of the bracket.
In the 'D' singles bracket,
Tanner Warners (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) and Mario Neto (Boa Vista, Brazil/Reino) played each other in the seventh-place match in the consolation bracket, with Neto winning that match 8-6. The two players went on to compete in the 'B' doubles bracket on Saturday and took third place, defeating the team of Bartels and
Jack DeYoung in the third-place match 8-4.
In the round robin doubles bracket, the team of newcomers
Jackson McCormick and
Owen Legters took third place with a 8-3 score in the third-place match.
COACH'S COMMENT: "The invitational at Hope this past weekend went better than I thought it was going to go," head coach
George Rodriguez said. "With only 3 days of team practice and with 6 new players on the men's side and one new player on the women's side, I could not have asked for a better showing from both teams. Both teams competed their hearts out. This was something I've been waiting to see as a collective group. We had some great results on both sides.
Rodrigo Alipio winning the A bracket, Marina Ribeiro winning her bracket and Alex VerMeulen and Ana Ornellas winning their bracket in doubles. Everyone else with strong wins throughout the weekend. I'm excited for the rest of this year and the synergy both teams are showing!!"
