MALIBU, Calif. (UCFKnights.com) – Gabriel Decamps of the UCF men's tennis team had a solid first day of the Oracle ITA Masters, winning his first singles match as well as a set of mixed doubles.
The day began with Decamps teaming up with Valeriya Zeleva of the UCF women's tennis team to play in a mixed doubles tournament, something uncommon in college tennis. Decamps and Zeleva started their day against Van Wyk and Tomasetti from Weber State and Northern Arizona respectively. They came into the tournament ranked as the No. 22 duo while Decamps and Zeleva were tabbed as the No. 11 seed. The Knight pair prevailed by a score of 7-6 (7-3) to win their first mixed doubles round and advance to the round of 16. That round would take place later in the day after Decamps and Zeleva played their own individual singles rounds.
Decamps' first round of the tournament saw him stare across the net at UNC Wilmington's Daniel Groom who came into the tournament unranked. Decamps had no problem in the first set, winning 6-0. Groom pushed back in the second set, but ultimately it was Decamps who pulled through to win the match by taking the second set 7-6 (7-2).
In the round of 16, Decamps will face Rice's Sumit Sarkar who is the No. 7 seed in the tournament. Sarkar is ranked 26th in the nation in the Oracle/ITA singles rankings while Decamps sits at No. 29. The two will square off on Friday at 4 p.m. ET.
Decamps' first day of the Oracle ITA Maters concluded with a loss in mixed doubles alongside Zeleva. The pair fell to Gui Osorio and Ashley Lahey of San Diego and Pepperdine respectively by a score of 6-3. Osorio and Lahey were the sixth overall seed of the tournament. With no mixed doubles consolation bracket, Decamps and Zeleva's time together as a duo in the tournament has reached its end.
UP NEXT
Decamps will face Sumit Sarkar of Rice at 4 p.m. ET on Friday in the round of 16. As for the rest of the Knights, they'll be taking part in the Southern Intercollegiates beginning Friday at 9 a.m. in Athens, Georgia.
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