Blue Devils Advance in ITA All-Americans Qualifying

Monday, September 30

Tulsa, Okla.

All Day

Duke University

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Blue Devils Advance in ITA All-Americans Qualifying

9/30/2013 10:31:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

TULSA, Okla. – Junior Raphael Hemmeler and sophomore Bruno Semenzato advanced to the second round of singles qualifying play Monday at the 2013 Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships, hosted by the University of Tulsa.

Both Blue Devil players battled to three-set victories on the first day of qualifying singles action in Tulsa, securing spots in Tuesday's second round. Participants who win three matches in the qualifying stage will move on to the tournament's main draw, which will be held Thursday, Oct. 3 through Sunday, Oct. 6.

Semenzato drew a first-round meeting with 25th-seeded and 79th-ranked Tony Lupieri of Baylor, and took the first set by a 6-1 score. After Lupieri claimed the second set, 6-2, Semenzato battled back to win the decisive set, 6-4. The sophomore from Sao Paulo, Brazil improved to 5-0 on the fall after previously winning four matches to claim a singles title at the season-opening Duke Fab Four Invitational.

The 49th-ranked player in the ITA's preseason singles poll and the second-seeded player in the qualifying draw, Hemmeler dropped the first set of his match to North Carolina's Oystein Steiro, 6-3. However Hemmeler then rebounded to take the next two sets, joining Semenzato in the second round.

The second and third rounds of qualifying singles play will be contested Tuesday, in addition to the first and second rounds of qualifying doubles competition. Duke's sixth-seeded duo of redshirt junior Cale Hammond and senior Fred Saba will take the court in the second round after receiving a bye in the first round.

For updates throughout the ITA All-American Championships, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter (@Duke_MTEN).

2013 Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships

Qualifying Singles
Bruno Semenzato (Duke) def. No. 79 Tony Lupieri (25) (Baylor) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
No. 49 Raphael Hemmeler (2) (Duke) def. Oystein Steiro (North Carolina) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

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