The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
SEC Indoor Championships
Reb Duo Advances To Quarterfinals At SEC Indoor
1/15/2005 | Men's Tennis
Jan. 15, 2005
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Ole Miss men's tennis team had a solid showing on day two of the SEC Indoor Championships Saturday, with three players reaching the round of 16 in singles and one doubles team advancing to the quarterfinals.
Sophomore Fredrik Aarum and freshman Erling Tveit, both of Norway, teamed up to knock off the No. 7 seeded team of Auburn's Gabor Zolton Pelva and Brett Hunter, 8-4, in the second round of doubles to advance to the quarterfinals, which will be played Sunday.
The Rebels had a solid showing in singles. Sophomore Eric Claesson downed Auburn's Robert Lathouwers, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round, before falling in three sets to the No. 1 seed, Kentucky's Jesse Witten, in the third round. After dropping the first set 6-1, Claesson came back to take the second 6-3. Witten, who is ranked No. 3 in the nation and a senior for the Wildcats, claimed the third set 6-2.
Junior Juan Pablo Di Cesare came back to beat Jason Mallaiah of Kentucky, 5-7, 7-6, 6-1 in the second round. In the round of 16, Di Cesare lost to LSU's top player and the tournament's No. 3 seed, Ken Skupski, 7-5, 6-2.
Freshman Jakob Klaeson displayed his outstanding credentials to the rest of the league, knocking off Florida's Nestor Briceno (seeded 9-16) 6-4, 6-2 in the second round. Klaeson took last year's SEC Freshman of the Year, No. 5 seed John Isner of Georgia, to two tough sets, before succumbing 6-4, 7-6.
Before his match with Di Cesare, Skupski had to deal with OM freshman Bram ten Berge. Berge held his own against the nation's 12th-ranked player, before Skupski won 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2.
Erling Tveit, the Rebels other newcomer who joined the team in January, battled Isner to the limit in their second-round match-up, before losing a tight three-setter, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3). Isner is currently ranked 18th in the nation.
The SEC Indoor is one of the elite individual tournaments every year, featuring many of the top players in the country. All 12 conference schools made the NCAA team Championships last year and nine are ranked in the preseason top 25 with three in the top 10.
SEC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS - NEW ORLEANS, La.
Singles
Second round - Eric Claesson (OM) def. Robert Lathouwers (AU) 6-3, 6-2; Juan Pablo Di Cesare (OM) def. Jason Mallaiah (UK) 5-7, 7-6, 6-1; Jakob Klaeson (OM) def. Nestor Briceno (UF) 6-4, 6-2; Ken Skupski (LSU) def. Bram ten Berge (OM) 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3; John Isner (UGA) def. Erling Tveit (OM) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3); Luiz Carvalho (MSU) def. Fredrik Aarum (OM) 6-2, 6-3.
Round of 16M - Jesse Witten (UK) def. Claesson (OM) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2; Skupski (LSU) def. Di Cesare (OM) 7-5, 6-2; Isner (UGA) def. Klaeson (OM) 6-4, 7-6.
Doubles
Second round - Aarum/Tveit (OM) def. Gabor Zolton Pelva/Brett Hunter (AUB) 8-4.
