Huskers Get Started at Milwaukee Tennis Classic

Milwaukee, Wis. ? The Nebraska men’s tennis team found solid results in the first day of the 29th annual Milwaukee Tennis Classic Wednesday. The Huskers won three of four doubles matches and picked up four singles victories in the first day of Nebraska’s final contest of the fall season.

 

Jerry Posch and Adrian Szatmary, the No. 4 seed in doubles action, cruised to the round of 16 in the doubles main draw with an 8-5 victory over Tony Epkey and Brad Rhodes. Fifth-seeded Joerg Barthel and Jose Rivera also moved within a win of the quarterfinals with an 8-3 victory over Tomek Czemuszewicz and Greg Sirotek, while James Clow and Joel Reckewey easily defeated Jimmy Brannon and Mike Heule, 8-4, to move on to Thursday’s action.

 

Posch, who entered the week with a team-best 8-2 singles record during fall action, also advanced to the round of 32 in the singles main draw before falling to Dan Hanegby, 6-4, 6-3. The No. 6 seed in the 64-person singles open division, Posch earned a solid come-from-behind victory over Mark Weinig in the first round, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

 

While Posch was the only Husker to advance past the first round in the main draw, several Huskers found success in the consolation bracket.

 

Szatmary, the No. 9 seed, dropped a tough 6-7, 6-3, 6-0, contest against Alex Birchmeier in the first round before picking up a 6-0, 6-3 win over Ricky Servoss in the consolation bracket. Szatmary will face teammate Clow in the third round of the consolation bracket Thursday with a berth in the quarterfinals on the line. After dropping a 6-3, 7-5, contest to Mike Heule in the main draw, Clow received a pair of byes to reach the consolation third round.

 

Three additional Huskers remain alive in the consolation bracket. Reckewey received a pair of byes into the third round like Clow, while Barthel and Rivera each reached the third round with a victory and a bye. Barthel defeated Justin Hoevler, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, and will face Aaron Schaechterle in the next round, while Rivera defeated Pete Van Lieshout in the first round, 6-3, 6-3, and will now take on R.K. Bacalla in the third round.

 

Sean Coetzee and Marcus Karner each dropped a pair of matches Wednesday, while Karl Jones withdrew following an injury.

 

The Huskers return to action Thursday morning in Milwaukee.

 

 

Singles Main Draw

Dan Hanegby def. (6) Jerry Posch, 6-4; 6-3

Mike Heule def. James Clow, 6-3; 7-5

Alex Birchmeier def. (9) Adrian Szatmary, 6-7; 6-3; 6-0

(4) Willy Gali-Solanas def. Joerg Barthel, 6-4; 6-4

Chi Pham def. Jose Rivera, 6-1; 5-7; 6-4

(9) Adam Schaechterle def. Sean Coetzee, 6-0; 6-0

Ryan Pederson def. Karl Jones, Withdraw (inj.)

Alex Friesen def. Marcus Karner, 6-2; 6-7; 6-3

(6) Gerhard Posch def. Mark Weinig, 3-6; 6-4; 6-2

Brad Rhodes def. Joel Reckewey, 6-2; 6-7; 6-1

 

Singles Consolation Draw

(9) Adrian Szatmary def. Ricky Servoss, 6-0; 6-3

Joerg Barthel def. Justin Hoevler, 2-6; 6-4; 6-4

Jose Rivera def. Pete Van Lieshout, 6-3; 6-3

R.K. Bacalla def. Sean Coetzee, 6-1; 6-1

Bryan Norville def. Marcus Karner, 6-3; 5-7; 7-5

 

 

Doubles Main Draw

Clow/Reckewey def. Brannon/Heule, 8-4

(5) Barthel/Rivera def. Czernuszewicz/Sirotek, 8-3

Servoss/Vedrickas def. Jones/Karner, 8-4

(4) Posch/Szatmary def. Epkey/Rhodes, 8-5

Knable/Newman def. Coetzee/Pederson, 8-3