The Mercer men’s tennis team traveled to Puerto Rico for the Palmas Del Mar tournament
to challenge four teams that finished last season ranked in the ITA-Top 50 — No. 7 Georgia, No. 18 Illinois, No. 26 Florida State and No. 46 N.C. State — in singles and doubles action.
Mercer’s Fernando Guardia was the Bear’s bright spot on day one of the tournament. The sophomore defeated FSU’s Terrance Whitehurst in two sets of 6-3, 7-6.
"Fernando had a good win today and several other players were in position to win but could not close it out," said head coach Eric Hayes in a Mercer Athletics press release. "Teams at this level do not play lose points and we must do the same to be successful. I'm very excited about this team and what we are capable of."
Day One - 2016 Palmas Tournament
Puerto Rico // Sept. 11, 2016
Doubles Results
Jan Zielinski/Nathan Ponwith (UGA) def. Sam Philip/Olivier Stuart (Mercer), 6-3
Emil Reinberg/Walker Duncan (UGA) def. Ruben Vanoppen/Efstathios Tsirandis (Mercer), 6-3
Wayne Montgomery/Robert Loeb (UGA) def. Fernando Guardia/Nicolas Guillon (Mercer), 7-5
Alex Knaff/Singh Bhullar (FSU) def. Sam Fried/Sachin Khurana (Mercer), 6-2
Alex Phillips/Andy Martinez (UGA) def. Sam Fried/Sachin Khurana (Mercer), 6-1
Aron Hiltzik/Aleksandar Kovacevic (Illinois) def. Sam Philip/Olivier Stuart (Mercer), 7-6
Julian Childers/Gui Gomes (Illinois) def. Ruben Vanoppen/Efstathios Tsirandis (Mercer), 6-4
Schmidt/Singh Bhullar (FSU) def. Fernando Guardia/Nicolas Guillon (Mercer), 6-4
Singles Results
Wayne Montgomery (UGA) def. Olivier Stuart (Mercer), 6-0, 6-1
Emil Reinberg (UGA) def. Nicolas Guillon (Mercer), 6-2, 6-3
Walker Duncan (UGA) def. Sam Philip (Mercer), 4-6, 7-6, 1-0 (10-8)
Nathan Ponwith (UGA) def. Efstathios Tsirandis (Mercer), 6-4, 6-3
Jan Zielinski (UGA) def. Ruben Vanoppen (Mercer), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Singh Bhullar (FSU) def. Jordan Mark (Mercer), 6-2, 6-1
Fernando Guardia (Mercer) def. Terrance Whitehurst (FSU), 6-3, 7-6
Alex Knaff (FSU) def. Sachin Khurana (Mercer), 6-1, 6-0
The Bears failed to win a single set in doubles and singles competition on day two, though Guardia nearly won his second game of the tournament. Guardia blanked UGA’s Alex Phillips in the second set before falling in the third, 6-3, 0-6, 1-0.
Day Two - 2016 Palmas Tournament
Puerto Rico // Sept. 10, 2016
Doubles Results:
Alex Phillips/Andy Martinez (UGA) def. Fernando Guardia/Nicolas Guillon (Mercer), 6-3
Jose Gracia/Terrance Whitehurst (FSU) def. Sam Philip/Olivier Stuart (Mercer), 6-3
Alex Knaff/ Guy Orly Iradukunda (FSU) def. Ruben Vanoppen/Efstathios Tsirandis (Mercer), 7-5
Jake Albo/Jack Haffey (FSU) def. Sam Fried/Sachin Khurana (Mercer), 6-4
Singles Results:
Alex Phillips (UGA) def. Fernando Guardia (Mercer), 6-3, 0-6, 1-0
Andy Martinez (UGA) def. Sachin Khurana (Mercer), 6-1, 6-2
Samuel Dromsky (UGA) def. Jordan Mark (Mercer), 6-1, 6-1
Jose Gracia (FSU) def. Nicolas Guillon (Mercer), 6-4, 6-3
Alex Knaff (FSU) def. Sam Philip (Mercer), 6-2, 7-6
Singh Bhullar (FSU) def. Efstathios Tsirandis (Mercer), 6-3, 6-2
Jake Albo (FSU) def. Ruben Vanoppen (Mercer), 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
Jack Haffey (FSU) def. Sam Fried (Mercer), 6-2, 6-1
Mercer’s Sam Philp won a three-set match against University of Illinois’ Aleksandar Kovacevic on the third and final day of the tournament.
Philp dropped the first set, 7-6, but won the second, 6-4, to force a tiebreak. Philp came out on top, 1-0.
Eight members of the Bears team took on players from UGA, FSU and the University of Illinois respectively.
Day Three - 2016 Palmas Tournament
Puerto Rico // Sept. 11, 2016
Singles Results
Julian Childers (Illinois) def. Nicolas Guillon (Mercer), 6-3, 7-6
Sam Philp (Mercer) def. Aleksandar Kovacevic (Illinois), 6-7, 6-4, 1-0
Gui Gomes (Illinois) def. Efstathios Tsirandis (Mercer), 6-4, 6-3
Robert Loeb (UGA) def. Ruben Vanoppen (Mercer), 6-2, 6-3
Jake Albo (FSU) def. Sachin Khurana (Mercer), 6-2, 6-1
Andy Martinez (UGA) def. Jordan Mark (Mercer), 6-0, 6-1
Guy Orly Iradukunda (FSU) def. Olivier Stuart (Mercer), 6-4, 7-5
Samuel Dromsky (UGA) def. Sam Fried (Mercer), 6-0, 6-0
