ATHENS, Georgia - With many of the Knights' future regular-season opposition making the trip to the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, the UCF men's tennis team got their first chance to matchup up with the region's best at the ITA Southeast Championships. Multiple Knights made deep runs in both singles and doubles, headlined by a strong campaign from junior Yassine Dlimi.
Below is a day-by-day recap from the Peach State:
Friday (Afternoon) - Dlimi Exits Main Draw in Round of 16
Opposite of Miami's Martin Katz, Dlimi battled throughout though eventually fell short following a back-and-forth contest, 7-5, 6-3. Elsewhere, Adriano Dzhenev's campaign in the main draw consolation round ended against Miami's Nacho Serra Sanchez, 6-1, 6-3. In an extra match, Nicolas Oliveira tallied his second triumph of the weekend with a three-set triumph over Georgia Southern's Pol Del Castillo, 6-1, 2-6, 1-0 (10-6).
Thursday (Afternoon) - Multiple Knights Dominate in Singles and Doubles
After a straight-set victory in the first round, Yassine Dlimi had to stay steady during a back-and-forth three-set contest with Georgia's Filipe Costa, eventually prevailing to secure qualification into the final 16. A pair of UCF tandems will also be among the last 16 in doubles, as Dlimi and Mehdi Benchakroun defeated South Florida's Ben Hudson and Thomas Pavlekovich-Smith, 8-4.
Freshman duo Adriano Dzhenev and Nicolas Oliveira showed their promise with a great win over Florida State's Jamie Connel and Jan Sebesta, 8-6.
Thursday (Morning) - Dlimi and Oliveira Punch Tickets to Next Round
Yassine Dlimi got his week off to a perfect start with a convincing straight-set victory over Stetson's Juan Jose Rodriguez, 6-2, 6-2. The Juniors serving game was dominant throughout while also stifling any chance for breathing room from Rodriguez, consistently breaking the Sunshine State opponent. Joining him is Freshman Nicolas Oliveira who overcame a tough match from hosts Georgia's Parker Mariencheck, showing composure with a 6-4, 6-2, win.
Emilio Sanchez and Adriano Dzhenev showed fight but ultimately came up short in their first-round fixtures and will now compete in the consolation draw.
Wednesday (Night) - Pair of UCF Tandems Advance
With two wins at the UCF Invite earlier this month, Simeon Terziev and Luca Hotze continued their great partnership with an 8-5 triumph over Florida Atlantic's Segundo Goity and Luca Miremont. The combo was joined in the second round by freshman Adriano Dzhenev and Nicolas Oliveira, who bested an impressive Miami squad of Maximo Oberto and Leonardo Dal Boni, 8-3.
In an extra singles match, Hotze got back in the win column, defeating Stetson's Kartik Mandla, 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8).
Wednesday (Afternoon) - Sanchez Advances Into the Main Draw
Following a dramatic three-set triumph in the first round, Sanchez completed his path into the next stage with a dominating sweep over Mercer's Marceau Fouihoux, 6-1, 6-2. Terziev, who received a bye into the second round, couldn't capitalize on a strong first set and fell to Florida Atlantic's Segundo Goity.
Wednesday (Morning) - Knights Split Pair of First-Round Qualifying Matches
With Terziev receiving a bye into the second round of singles qualifiers, two Knights were left to secure their bids into the next set of matches. Following a disappointing first-set tiebreak, Sanchez bounced back resoundingly, dominating Florida Atlantic's Marek Pazdera to take the contest, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-1.
The Spaniard secures his first triumph of the fall slate and will look to pounce on the momentum later this afternoon against Mercer's Fouilhoux. Junior Luca Hotze couldn't find his stride this Morning, dropping his second match of the fall to Georgia State's Gabriele Datei, 6-3, 6-2.
FULL RESULTS
SINGLES (QUALIFYING)
R1: Emilio Sanchez (UCF) def. Marek Pazdera (FAU): 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-1
R1: Gabriele Datei (GSU) def. Luca Hotze (UCF): 6-3, 6-2
R2: Segundo Goity (FAU) def. Simeon Terziev (UCF): 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2
R2: Emilio Sanchez (UCF) def. Marceau Fouilhoux (Mercer): 6-1, 6-2
SINGLES (MAIN DRAW)
R1: Thomas Paulsell (UGA) def. Adriano Dzhenev (UCF): 6-2, 6-0
R1: Yassine Dlimi (UCF) def. Juan Jose Rodriguez (Stetson): 6-2, 6-2
R1: Niels Ratiu (UGA) def. Emilio Sanchez (UCF): 6-2, 6-2
R1: Nicolas Oliveira (UCF) def. Parker Mariencheck (UGA): 6-4, 6-2
R1: Mehdi Benchakroun (UCF) def. Rohan Sachdev (GT): 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
R1: Elijah Cham (USF) def. Santiago Giamichelle (UCF): 7-6(5), 7-5
R2: Yassine Dlimi (UCF) def. Filipe Costa (UGA): 6-1, 4-6, 6-1
R2: Eder Blanco Fernandez (Stetson) def. Nicolas Oliveira (UCF): 6-1, 6-2
R2: Miguel Perez Pena (UGA) def. Mehdi Benchakroun (UCF): 7-5, 7-5
R3: Martin Katz (Miami) def. Yassine Dlimi (UCF): 7-5, 6-3
SINGLES (MAIN DRAW CONSOLATION)
R1: Adriano Dzhenev (UCF) def. Ettore Danesi (USF): 7-6(2), 6-4
R1: Emilio Sanchez (UCF) def. Segundo Goity (FAU) def. 6-1, 6-1
R3: Adriano Dzhenev (UCF) def. Ettore Danesi (GSU): 6-3, 6-4
R3: John Bernard (FAU) def. Emilio Sanchez (UCF): 6-4, 6-2
R4: Nacho Serra Sanchez (Miami) def. Adriano Dzhenev (UCF): 6-1, 6-3
SINGLES (EXTRA)
R1: Luca Hotze (UCF) def. Kartik Mandla (Stetson): 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-8)
R1: Agustin Cuellar (USF) def. Simeon Terziev (UCF): 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7)
R1: Nicolas Oliveira (UCF) def. Pol Del Castillo (GS): 6-1, 2-6, 1-0 (10-6)
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DOUBLES
R1: Luca Hotze/Simeon Terziev (UCF) def. Segundo Goity/Luca Miremont (FAU): 8-5
R1: Adriano Dzhenev/Nicolas Oliveira (UCF) def. Maximo Oberto/Leonardo Dal Boni (Miami): 8-3
R2: Mehdi Benchakroun/Yassine Dlimi (UCF) def. Ben Hudson/Thomas Pavlekovich-Smith (USF): 8-4
R2: Joshua Dous-Karpenschif/Erik Schiessl (FSU) def. Luca Hotze/Simeon Terziev (UCF): 8-4
R2: Christophe Clement/Krish Arora (GT) def. Santiago Giamichelle/Emilio Sanchez (UCF): 8-5
R2: Adriano Dzhenev/Nicolas Oliveira (UCF) def. Jamie Connel/Jan Sebesta (FSU): 8-6
R3: Jiri Jenicek/Mark Havlicek (FAU) def. Mehdi Benchakroun/Yassine Dlimi (UCF): 8-4
R3: Tanapatt Nirundorn/Henry Jefferson (UF) def. Adriano Dzhenev/Nicolas Oliveira (UCF): 8-7(9)