Story by Alec Mullins, Contributing writer
Murray State’s men’s tennis team competed in the Louisville Invitational at the University of Louisville last weekend.
Fourteen teams competed in Flight A, B and C singles and doubles competition. The Racers had five players compete in singles and two teams compete in doubles.
Will True, sophomore from Bowling Green, Kentucky, lost his first match of the tournament but continued through the consolation side of the bracket. Winning his next two matches 6-3, 2-6, 10-4, and 6-3, 7-5, True advanced to the semifinals, losing 2-6 and 1-6. This performance made him the highest finishing individual on the team.
David Hess, junior from Louisville, Kentucky, lost his first match 6-3, 6-2. He was then defeated in his final match 2-6, 6-4, 10-2. Srdjan Trosic, sophomore from Serbia, lost his two matches 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 and 6-2, 6-2. Anjan Kashyab, sophomore from Tell City, Indiana, also lost his two matches in the tournament with final scores of 6-1, 7-5, 6-1 and 6-2, 6-1. Freshman Javier Villar, competed in one match, losing 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Despite not finding much success in singles competition, Villar and Trosic competed together in doubles competition. Losing their first match, the duo came back to win the second and finished as runners up in the Flight B Consolation bracket, losing to Morehead State 8-4.
Hess and True also competed in doubles competition, but lost 8-2 and 8-4 in their two matches.
The team will not compete again until Jan. 22 when they travel to Nashville, Tennessee, and face Lipscomb University, who also competed at the Louisville Invitational. Lipscomb had five players receive wins at the tournament including John Tougher, sophomore from Dublin, Ireland, who won Flight C. Other notable performances included sophomores Alejandro Manzanares and Philippe Courteau winning the consolation brackets of flights A and B, respectively.
Jan. 23 the team will travel to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and face off with Conference USA opponent Middle Tennessee State, who won 14 matches at the Louisville Invitational.