Oct. 24, 2002
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State senior Oliver Maiberger, the tournament's top seed, helped lead four Aztec players into the round of 16 singles bracket and two doubles teams into the quarterfinal round on Thursday at the Omni Hotels Western Regional Championships in Las Vegas.
Aztec players have combined to post a 10-2 singles mark and a 6-1 doubles record in the first two days of the tournament which features the top players in the region.
Maiberger, ranked eighth nationally, cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 third-round victory over 21st-seeded Nejo Smole of Denver. Maiberger is joined in the round of 16 by his doubles partner, Ryan Redondo. Redondo, unseeded in the tourney, upset 10th-seeded Thomas Schoeck, 7-6, 6-1 to advance to the fourth round. Ninth-seeded Valentino Pest and 12th-seeded Daniel Jung also advanced to the round of 16 for the Aztecs.
In doubles action, top-seeded Maiberger and Redondo recorded a pair of victories on Thursday to advance to advance to the quarterfinal round of the 32-team tournament. The Aztec duo claimed an 8-2 win over a doubles team from Utah and followed that up with an 8-3 win over 12th-seeded Neje Smole and Victor Zetterholm of Denver. Felix Hardt and Valentino Pest, seeded third in the tournament, also won twice on Thursday to advance to tomorrow's quarterfinals.
The tournament continues through Saturday.