TULSA, Okla. – San Diego State men's tennis players Joe Tyler and Alexander Mändma each posted two victories in singles play on Saturday during the pre-qualifying rounds of the ITA All-American Championships at Michael D. Case Tennis Center.
In his first match of the day, Tyler overcame an early one-set deficit to defeat SMU's Adam Neff in a super-tiebreaker, 3-6, 7-6(4), 10-3, before posting a 6-0, 6-1 conquest of Texas-San Antonio's Sebastian Rodriguez, a seeded player who received a first-round bye. With his results, Tyler, a senior transfer from Iowa, will square off against Eban Straker-Meads of Northern Arizona in the round of 64 on Sunday at 10 a.m. CT/8 a.m. PT.
In addition, Mändma advanced in the bracket and will face Oklahoma's seeded competitor Justin Schlageter on Sunday as well, starting at noon CT/10 a.m. PT. Earlier, the Aztec freshman opened the tournament with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Abilene Christian's Savan Chhabra before rallying past Incarnate Word's Tomas Reche in a super-tiebreaker, 2-6, 6-2, 10-7.
Victor Castro, SDSU's remaining player in the pre-qualifying rounds, was not as fortunate, however, falling to Texas' Nevin Arimilli in his tournament opener via another super-tiebreaker, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8. Consequently, the Aztec junior will battle Gonzaga's Matthew Hollingworth in the consolation bracket on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. CT/7:30 a.m. PT on the courts of Tulsa's LaFortune Park.
2021 ITA All-American Championships
Day One Results (SDSU only)
Michael D. Case Tennis Center—Tulsa, Okla.
Singles (Pre-Qualifying)
Round of 256
Joe Tyler (SDSU) def. Adam Neff (SMU), 3-6, 7-6(4), 10-3
Alexander Mändma (SDSU) def. Savan Chharbra (Abilene Christian), 6-1, 6-1
Nevin Arimilli (Texas) def. Victor Castro (SDSU), 4-6, 6-4, 10-8
Singles (Pre-Qualifying)
Round of 128
Joe Tyler (SDSU) def. Sebastian Rogers (UTSA), 6-0, 6-1
Alexander Mändma (SDSU) def. Tomas Reche (Incarnate Word), 2-6, 6-2, 10-7
Two Aztecs Advance in Tulsa
