Sept. 30, 2016
SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State men's tennis players Milen Ianakiev, Marko Goles-Babic, Santiago Cevallos and Sander Gjoels-Andersen will represent the Aztecs this weekend in the singles pre-qualifying draw of the 2016 Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Okla.
In addition, Ianakiev and Cevallos will join forces in the qualifying doubles bracket, while Goles-Babic and Gjoels-Andersen are among 10 tandems on the qualifying doubles alternate list.
For the 12th consecutive year, the University of Tulsa will serve as the official tournament host, with singles pre-qualifying matches leading off the action on Saturday. In addition, singles and doubles qualifying play will commence on Monday, Oct. 3, while the main draw for both singles and doubles competition is scheduled to start on Thursday, Oct. 6 and conclude on Monday, Oct. 10. Live statistics will be available beginning with the second day of qualifying on Oct. 4.
Singles quarterfinalists, doubles finalists and consolation champions will receive an automatic entry into the 2016 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships, Nov. 3-6, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
The ITA All-American Championships will mark the first appearance of the 2016-17 campaign for Ianakiev and Cevallos, while Goles-Babic and Gjoels-Andersen made their fall debut last weekend at the Battle in the Bay Classic in San Francisco, Calif. Goles-Babic posted a 3-1 mark in the open singles bracket of the tournament, eventually reaching the semifinal round, while Gjoels-Andersen went 1-2 for the event.
Last season, Ianakiev and Cevallos comprised SDSU's most consistent doubles team, earning all-Mountain West honors after posting a 9-10 overall record and a 3-3 mark in conference play. The Aztec duo knocked off four tandems from schools ranked among the top 60 nationally.