Upcoming Event: Baseball at East Carolina on April 7, 2026 at 6 p.m.
Baseball
at East Carolina
Blue Devils & Rams Advance In NCAA Men's Tennis Action
May 13, 2005
Photo Gallery
DURHAM, N.C. - Duke University and Virginia Commonwealth University picked up victories in the opening round of the 2005 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship Tournament on Friday at the Ambler Tennis Stadium in Durham, N.C. The ninth-seeded Blue Devils defeated South Carolina State, 4-0, while the Rams earned a 4-2 triumph over Mississippi State.
By advancing with Friday's wins, Duke (19-5) and Virginia Commonwealth (17-10) meet on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Blue Devils and Rams met back on March 25 in Durham, with Duke claiming a 6-1 win thanks to three three-set singles victories.
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 1-0 lead over South Carolina State (20-6) by earning the doubles point. Peter Rodrigues then pushed the Duke advantage to 2-0 with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Dragen Bisercic at number three singles. After Ned Samuelson posted a straight set win at number six, Peter Shults clinched the victory with his 6-2, 6-0 decision over Ionuc Hurduc at the number four flight.
In their win over Mississippi State (12-10), VCU picked up the doubles point with wins at the numbers three and two positions. The lead increased to 2-0 on the strength of Sergi Arumi's straight set win at number four singles before the Bulldogs got on the scoreboard thanks to Luiz Carvalho's 7-5, 6-2 victory over Sebastian Ripoll at number five. Arnaud Lecloerec followed by defeating Ivan Bjelica, 6-4, 6-3, at number one for a 3-1 Ram lead, but Mississippi State pulled within 3-2 as Arnaud Roussel downed Damien Lacombe, 6-4, 6-4, at the number six flight.
Virginia Commonwealth then received the match-clinching point from Francesc Lleal, who out dueled Jose-Carlos Pinto in a pair of tiebreakers, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), for the win.
#8 Duke 4, South Carolina State 0
SINGLES
1. #5 Ludovic Walter (Duke) vs. Andrew Mawire, DNF
2. #89 Jonathan Stokke (Duke) vs. Jiri Vasicek, DNF
3. Peter Rodrigues (Duke) def. Dragen Bisercic, 6-3, 6-1
4. Peter Shults (Duke) def. Ionuc Hurduc, 6-2, 6-0
5. Jason Zimmermann (Duke) vs. Patantap Chaturvedi, DNF
6. Ned Samuelson (Duke) def. Hrvoje Capin, 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 6, 4
DOUBLES
1. Stokke & Zimmermann (Duke) vs. Hurduc & Mawire, DNF
2. Charles Brezac & Walter (Duke) def. Chaturvedi & Vasicek, 8-4
3. Rodrigues & Shults (Duke) def. Bisercic & Capin, 8-2
Order of finish: 3, 2
#41 Virginia Commonwealth 4, #23 Mississippi State 2
SINGLES
1. #17 Arnaud Lecloerec (VCU) def. Ivan Bjelica, 6-4, 6-3
2. #96 Marton Ott (VCU) vs. Philippe Frayssinoux, DNF
3. Francesc Lleal (VCU) def. Jose-Carlos Pinto, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3)
4. Sergi Arumi (VCU) def. Pierre Mouillon, 6-1, 6-2
5. Luiz Carvalho (MSU) def. Sebastian Ripoll, 7-5, 6-2
6. Arnaud Roussel (MSU) def. Damien Lacombe, 6-4, 6-4
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 6, 3
DOUBLES
1. Lecloerec & Ott (VCU) vs. Bjelica & Pinto, DNF
2. Lohff & Ripoll (VCU) def. Frayssinoux & Mouillon, 8-6
3. Arumi & Lleal (VCU) def. Carvalho & Roussel, 8-2
Order of finish: 3, 2
