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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
ITA National Indoor Championships
Gard Wins Opening Round At ITA National Indoor
11/4/2004 | Men's Tennis
Nov. 4, 2004
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Ole Miss men's tennis senior Catalin Gard won his opening round match at the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships Thursday, to advance to the second round. Gard, the tourney's No. 1 seed, was one of seven seeds to move on in the 32-player draw.
Gard, the No. 1 ranked player in the nation, defeated Arkansas' Rohan Gajjar, in two tightly contested sets, 7-6(3), 7-6(3). Gajjar, ranked No. 118 in the country, qualified for the National Indoor by reaching the finals of the ITA Southeast Regional in October. The junior came into Thursday's meeting against Gard with a 10-4 record.
In the second round, Gard will face Stanford's KC Corkery, who defeated Ludovic Walter of Duke, by identical scores.
With the win, Gard improved to 7-0 this fall. The 2004 SEC Player of the Year is looking to win his second national title after claiming the season's first major, the ICY Hot/ITA All-American Championships. In seven matches this season, Gard has only dropped one set.
Gard is trying to become the first player to win the ITA All-American and National Indoor Championships in the same season.
Overall, more than 7,000 players from nearly 600 schools participate annually in the ITA Regional and National Intercollegiate Championships.
ITA NATIONAL INTERCOLLEGIATE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS - Ann Arbor, Mich.
Singles
First round - Catalin Gard (OM) def. Rohan Gajjar (ARK) 7-6(3), 7-6(3).
