Southern Miss Sends Three to Final Qualifying Draw at ITA Southern Regionals

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Southern Miss men's tennis team picked up 10 wins on the opening day of the ITA Southern Regional in Tuscaloosa, Ala., including three that advanced a trio of Golden Eagles to the final qualifying round on Friday.

Alan Sanson picked up wins over Martin Vasquez (R128) and Vicente Arbalaez Prati (R64) with dominance as the senior took both of his matches in straight sets. Dakotah Bobo won his morning match against Alabama A&M's Divesh Gahlot in straight sets, including a 10-8 tiebreaker in the first set. Bobo then lost to his former LSU teammate, Ben Koch, in three sets. Koch took the first set in a tiebreaker, while Bobo responded and took the second set, but dropped the final set via a 10-3 score.

Shamirul Shahril took advantage of his bye in the first round and made quick work of Arnav Pathange in the Round of 64. Shahril defeated the Alabama A&M player, 6-4, 7-6(7-4). Saheb Sodhi took his first match with a thrilling 16-14 win in the third set to set him up with a Round of 64 match-up against George Stoupe of LSU. Stoupe knocked Sodhi out of contention with a 6-3, 6-2 win. Taras Ignatiuk received a bye in the first round but fell to Carlos Gimenez Perez of UAB in straight sets to depart from the bracket in the second round.

Pawin Jirapoomdaje fell to Nicholls' Antonio Sasso in straight sets in the first round. Pasawee Reansuwong knocked off Lucius Soller of Jacksonville State in straight sets during the morning round and then fell to South Alabama's Maxime St-Hilaire in two sets. Alexander Gima also won his morning match against Freddie Lawrence (Alabama A&M) before falling to Sun Belt foe Mario Martinez Serrano (Troy).

Antoine Audrain, a Golden Eagle veteran, won both of his Thursday matches to advance to the final qualifying round on Friday. Audrain beat Matis Amier (Alabama State) in straight sets and then beat Nicolas Simkin of Troy. The Ploerne, France native beat Simkin, 6-4, 6-2.

Sanson and Shahril will play their qualifying matches at 9 a.m., while Audrain plays at 11 a.m. Olimjon Nabiev kicks off his Main Draw play tomorrow afternoon against a qualifier from the Qualifying Draw.

Qualifying Draw Singles

Alan Sanson (USM) def. Martin Vasquez (UAB), 6-1, 6-3

Alan Sanson (USM) def. Vicente Arbalaez Prati (Jacksonville State), 6-4, 6-4

Dakotah Bobo (USM) def. Divesh Gahlot (Alabama A&M), 7-6 (10-8), 7-5

Ben Kock (LSU) def. Dakotah Bobo (USM), 7-6(8-6), 3-6, 10-3

Shamirul Shahril (USM) def. Arnav Pathange (Alabama A&M), 6-4, 7-6(7-4)

Saheb Sodhi (USM) def. Georgios Nouchakis (UAB), 6-3, 2-6, 16-14

George Stoupe (LSU) def. Saheb Sodhi (USM), 6-3, 6-2

Pasawee Reansuwong (USM) def. Lucius Soller (Jacksonville State), 6-3, 6-2

Maxime St-Hilaire (USA) def. Pasawee Reansuwong (USM), 6-3, 6-1

Alexander Gima (USM) def. Freddie Lawrence (Alabama A&M), 7-6(7-1), 6-3

Mario Martinez Serrano (Troy) def. Alexander Gima (USM), 7-5, 6-3

Carlos Gimenez Perez (UAB) def. Taras Ignatiuk (USM), 6-1, 6-3

Antonio Sasso (Nicholls) def. Pawin Jirapoomdaje (USM), 6-2, 6-4

Antoine Audrain (USM) def. Matis Amier (Alabama State), 6-4, 7-6(7-2)

Antoine Audrain (USM) vs. Nicolas Simkin (Troy), 6-4, 6-2

Friday Qualifying Draw Schedule

Alan Sanson (USM) vs. Noah Martens (Troy) - 9 a.m.

Shamirul Shahril (USM) vs. Rafeal De Alba (Tulane) - 9 a.m.
Antoine Audrain (USM) vs. Stefan Latinovic (LSU) – 11 a.m.

Friday Main Draw Schedule
Olimjon Nabiev (USM) vs. TBA

University of Southern Mississippi Athletics

Southern Miss Sends Three to Final Qualifying Draw at ITA Southern Regionals

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Players Mentioned

Antoine Audrain

Dakotah Bobo

Alexander Gima

Taras Ignatiuk

Pawin Jirapoomdaje

Olimjon Nabiev

Pasawee Reansuwong

Alan Sanson

Shamirul Shahril

Saheb Sodhi

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