ITA Mountain Regional Draws/Results
PROVO, Utah – There are just 16 NCAA Division I men’s tennis players in contention for the ITA Mountain Regional singles title.
NM State’s Louis Menard is one of them.
On day two of the regional tournament at BYU, the product of Annecy, France, battled back from an early deficit in order to move on to the round of 16 at the BYU Outdoor Tennis Courts. Though they were bounced out of the main draw Tuesday, the remaining NM State competitors began making impressive runs in the consolation draw Wednesday.
DOUBLES
• Though the Aggies’ two doubles teams found themselves on the losing end of their first-round matchups in the main draw Tuesday, they continued their run in the regional tournament in the consolation draw.
• Menard and Martin Simecek received a bye in the first round of the consolation draw and moved on to the quarterfinals by way of a narrow 8-7 (5) victory over Idaho State’s Ege Cankus and Wilkus Robbertse.
• Oddly enough, it will be Gijs Akkermans and Corey Clarke who will oppose Menard and Simecek in the consolation draw quarterfinals. Akkermans and Clarke picked up a pair of victories in the consolation draw, first against Idaho State’s Hiroki Fujita and Andreas Kramer by a score of 8-3. From there, Akkermans and Clarke took down Boise State’s Jesse Haas and Caden Moortgat, 8-6, in order to meet Menard and Simecek.
SINGLES
• Pitted against Denver’s Daniel Krulig in a round of 32 match Wednesday morning, Menard was put at an early disadvantage as Krulig won the opening set by a 6-2 score. From there, however, Menard made his move.
• The Aggies’ lone competitor remaining in the ITA Mountain Regional main draw ensured he remain in contention for a title by winning the final two sets by scores of 6-2, 6-2. With the victory, Menard moved his singles record to an impressive 8-1 so far this fall. Menard also advanced to the singles round of 16 during the 2019 ITA Mountain Regional which was hosted by Denver.
• After falling in his first match in the main draw, Martin Simecek opted to continue his run at the ITA Mountain Regional in the consolation draw. In the second round of the consolation bracket, Simecek was scheduled to face off against Utah’s Michael Blando, but received an automatic bid to the round of 16 after Blando withdrew due to an injury.
COMING UP NEXT
• Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m., Menard makes an attempt to move on to the quarterfinal round of the ITA Mountain Regional. His opponent is Idaho freshman Francisco Gay who also needed three sets to move on to the round of 16 Tuesday morning. Simecek will duke it out with either Moortgat or Johnny Mascagni at 10:00 a.m. in the consolation bracket as well.
• NM State’s doubles teams will hit the courts at 9:00 a.m. in the consolation draw quarterfinals.
• For complete coverage of NM State men’s tennis throughout the 2021-22 campaign, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of Aggie athletics – and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Men’s Tennis), Twitter (@NMStateMTEN) and Instagram (@NMStateMTEN).
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