TUCSON, Ariz. – The San Diego State men's tennis team opened the Wildcat Invitational on Friday, posting two wins apiece in doubles and singles to highlight the first day of competition on the courts of Ventana Canyon Golf and Racquet Club.
In the Wilma Wildcat doubles flight, the Aztecs' Jules Auffray and Daniel Traxler made quick work of New Mexico State's Sebastian Herrera and Lucas Lanaluce with a 6-1 conquest, setting up a semifinal showdown with Northern Colorado's Thomas Pudney and Julian Kenzler on Saturday morning.
Over in the Wilber Wildcat draw, Fabian Roensdorf and Alex Scemanenco outlasted Northern Arizona's Facundo Tumosa and Eban Straker-Meads in a tiebreaker, 7-6(3), earning a semifinal date with New Mexico State's Louis Menard and Jordy Visser on Saturday as well.
The singles brackets at the Wildcat Invitational are named for professional Grand Slam events, including the French Open flight, where Scemanenco split two encounters on Friday, recording a three-set victory over Pudney of Northern Colorado, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, before suffering a 6-2, 6-4 setback to New Mexico State's Nicolas Buitrago in round two. With his results, the SDSU sophomore will face Grand Canyon's Jakub Novak in a compass draw matchup on Saturday no earlier than 11:30 a.m. MST/PDT.
Over in the Australian Open draw, Traxler came up just short in his first-round battle vs. Carlos Hassey of Arizona, 7-5, 7-5, but rebounded in consolation play with a triumph in straight sets over Northern Colorado's Adolfo Arroyo, 6-2, 7-6(6). Consequently, the Aztec freshman will square off against Northern Arizona's Chris Steele in the consolation semifinals on Saturday no earlier than 10 a.m.
Roensdorf was not as fortunate, however, dropping a pair of tough decisions in the same bracket. The SDSU senior was edged by Grand Canyon's Freddie Grant in the main draw, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, before yielding to New Mexico's Jake Trondson in a super-tiebraker, 6-7(5), 6-4, 12-10, in the consolation round. He is scheduled to face New Mexico State's Martin Simecek in a compass draw engagement on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Elsewhere, Auffray was upended by Arizona's Conner Olsen in the Wimbledon bracket, 6-3, 6-2, and will next face Northern Arizona's Daniel Dillon in a compass draw match Saturday at 1 p.m.
Wildcat Invitational
Tucson, Ariz.
Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club
Day One Results (SDSU only)
Doubles
Wilber Wildcat Flight
Fabian Roensdorf/Alex Scemanenco (SDSU) def. Facundo Tumosa/Eban Straker-Meads (NAU), 7-6(3)
Wilma Wildcat Flight
Jules Auffray/Daniel Traxler (SDSU) def. Sebastian Herrera/Lucas Landaluce (NMSU), 6-1
Singles
French Open Flight
Alex Scemanenco (SDSU) def. Thomas Pudney (UNCO), 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Nicolas Buitrago (NMSU) def. Alex Scemanenco (SDSU), 6-2, 6-4
Australian Open Flight
Freddie Grant (GCU) def. Fabian Roensdorf (SDSU), 7-5, 3-6, 6-2
Carlos Hassey (ARIZ) def. Daniel Traxler (SDSU), 7-5, 7-5
Consolation
Daniel Traxler (SDSU) def. Adolfo Arroyo (UNCO), 6-2, 7-6(6)
Jake Trondson (UNM) def. Fabian Roensdorf (SDSU), 6-7(5), 6-4, 12-10
Wimbledon Flight
Conner Olsen (ARIZ) def. Jules Auffray (SDSU), 6-3, 6-2