Rebel Netters Claim Titles At SEC Indoor Championships

NEW ORLEANS -- It was a great day for the No. 5 nationally ranked Ole Miss men’s tennis team Sunday, as they captured the “B” Draw singles title and the doubles title at the SEC Indoor Championships at the Health Club in the Hilton.

Junior Jonas Berg, seeded No. 3 in the “B” Draw singles, defeated two Georgia players in exciting fashion on Sunday, to capture the title.  In the final, he outlasted Bulldog Christian Vitulli in three sets.   Berg won the first set 6-2 and then lost a close tiebreaker, 7-6(9) in the second set.  He won the third set 6-4 to capture the title.

In the semifinals, Berg came back to hold off Georgia's Javier Garrapiz in three sets.  After dropping the first set in a tiebreaker (7-1), Berg came back to win the match 6-4, 6-4, to set up the final against Vitulli.

Ole Miss had two doubles teams make the final, so they were declared co-champions.  Seniors Robbye Poole and Jakob Klaeson won both their matches Sunday to reach the final.  In the quarterfinals, the Reb duo defeated the No. 8 seeded team of Dadamo and Hochwalt of Florida, 8-6.  Later in the afternoon, Poole and Klaeson knocked out the No. 6 seeds, Jamie Hunt and Nate Schnugg of Georgia, 8-4.

Matthias Wellermann and Bram ten Berge reached the final with two tiebreak wins.  In the quarterfinals, they beat Kaden Hensel and John Patrick Smith of Tennessee, 9-8(4).  Then in the semifinals, they sent the Georgia team of Luis Flores and Travis Helgeson home with a 9-8(5) win.

The SEC Indoor is the top individual tournament of the spring, featuring the best players in the country in singles and doubles.

“We are very proud of Jonas and our two doubles teams for claiming the SEC individual championship titles,” head coach Billy Chadwick said.  “We would like to encourage everyone to come out this week for our two upcoming home matches, our opener against Arkansas-Little Rock, followed by the national showdown with Ohio State.”

The Rebels open the season Thursday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. against UALR at the Gillom Sports Center.  Saturday, Jan. 26 the national spotlight will be on Oxford as the Rebels battle No. 3 Ohio State at 11 a.m., also at the Gillom Sports Center.  Free pizza compliments of 3Guys Pizza will be offered at the Ohio State match.

SEC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS NEW ORLEANS

“B” DRAW

Semifinals Jonas Berg (OM) def. Javier Garrapiz (UGA) 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-4.  Final Berg (OM) def. Christian Vitulli (UGA) 6-2, 6-7(9), 6-4.

DOUBLES

Quarterfinals Klaeson/Poole (OM) def. Dadamo/Hochwalt (UF) 8-6; ten Berge/Wellerman (OM) def. Hensel/Smith (UT) 9-8(4). Semifinals -- Klaeson/Poole (OM) def. Hunt/Schnugg (UGA) 8-4; ten Berge/Wellerman (UM) def. Flores/Helgeson (UGA), 9-8(5).

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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