Oct. 29, 2011
IOWA CITY, Iowa –Singles play got underway at the Big Ten Indoor Singles/Doubles Championships for the University of Iowa men’s tennis team as sophomore Jonas Dierckxadvanced to the round of 16.
The Lommel, Belgium, native went 2-0 in singles play Saturday at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex to lead Iowa for the second day in a row. Dierckx earned a Flight B doubles title on Friday as well.
“Jonas had a great day,” said head coach Steve Houghton. “He’s into the final 16 of the tournament, and he’s capable of doing big things.”
Dierckx opened with an upset win over 13th-seeded Pawel Poziomski of Purdue with a 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 advantage. In the second round, Dierckx knocked off Michigan’s Alex Buzzi 6-2, 6-1. Dierckx will face Michigan’s Eli Brown on Sunday at 11 a.m. With a 6-0 slate in singles and doubles combined, Dierckx has more wins at this tournament thus far than anyone else in the field.
Iowa also had one more main draw victory coming from senior Tom Mroziewicz. In his first match this fall season Mroziewicz upended Michigan State’s Mat Nelson 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 in the first round. Mroziewicz fell short in the second round.
The Hawkeyes picked up four victories on the back side of the singles bracket to close out the day. 15th-seeded senior Will Vasos cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 win against Penn State’s Chris Young. Sophomore Michael Swank defeated Northwestern’s Tobias Reitz 7-6, 6-2. Junior Mitch Becker topped Wisconsin’s Austin Akers 6-1, 4-6 (10-4). Freshman Andres Estenssoro earned his first singles win as a Hawkeye with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Purdue’s Billy Heuer.
Vasos, Swank, Beckert, Chase Tomlins, Estenssoro and Mroziewicz remain alive in the singles back draw. Action begins Sunday at 8 a.m.
Big Ten Indoor Championships
Singles Main Draw Round One
No. 9 Fredrik Ask (UW) def. Matt Hagan (IOWA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 5 Denis Bogatov (MSU) def. Connor Gilmore (IOWA) 6-4, 6-2
Jonas Dierckx (IOWA) def. No. 13 Pawel Poziomski (PUR) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6
Thomas Hanzlik (PSU) def. No. 3 Marc Bruche (IOWA) 6-7, 6-3, 7-6
No. 12 Aaron Pfister (MSU) def. Chase Tomlins (IOWA) 6-0, 6-0
Will Kendall (IND) def. Mitch Beckert (IOWA) 6-3, 6-3
Michael Sicora (MN) def. Joey White (IOWA) 6-1, 6-4
Ron Hulewicz (MSU) def. Michael Swank (IOWA) 6-2, 6-2
No. 11 Alex Kostanov (UW) def. Andres Estenssoro (IOWA) 6-2, 6-1
Tom Mroziewicz (IOWA) def. Mat Nelson (MSU) 5-7, 6-2, 6-1
Drew Leid (MSU) def. No. 15 Will Vasos 6-1, 4-6, 6-1
Jack Larsen (UW) def. Garret Dunn (IOWA) 6-3, 6-4
Singles Main Draw Round Two
Dierckx (IOWA) def. Alex Buzzi (MICH) 6-2, 6-1
Michael Zhu (MICH) def. Mroziewicz (IOWA) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
Singles Back Draw
Eric Frueh (MN) def. Matt Hagan (IOWA) 7-6, 7-5
Bryan Welnetz (PSU) def. Connor Gilmore (IOWA) 6-3, 6-1
Beckert (IOWA) def. Austin Akers (UW) 6-1, 4-6, (10-4)
Will Davis (MSU) def. White (IOWA) 6-7, 6-4, (10-2)
Swank (IOWA) def. Tobias Reitz (NW) 7-6, 6-2
Estenssoro (IOWA) def. Billy Heuer (PUR) 6-2, 7-5
Vasos (IOWA) def. Chris Young (PSU) 6-0, 6-2
No. 2 Josh Graves (NW) def. Dunn (IOWA) 6-4, 7-6