Michigan
ITA Midwest Regional Championships
Wong, Malik Win Doubles Title at ITA Regionals
10/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Oct. 24, 2016
» With the win, Malik and Wong earned an automatic berth to the National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships.
» Wong fell in the championship match of the singles main draw to No. 2 seed and 44th-ranked Strong Kirchheimer of Northwestern. Wong outlasted sophomore Myles Schalet in the semifinals to advance to the championship match.
» In fall tennis action, everyone is competing as an individual. There are not team results during the fall portion of the season.
Site: Columbus, Ohio (Varsity Tennis Center)
Event: ITA Midwest Regional Championships
Result: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sun, Nov. 4-6 -- at Gopher Invitational (Minneapolis, Minn.)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Seniors Kevin Wong and Jathan Malik fought off three match points in the second set to eventually win the doubles title as the University of Michigan men's tennis team completed action at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships on Monday afternoon (Oct. 24) at Ohio State's Varsity Tennis Center.
Valparaiso took the first set of the championship match in a tiebreaker and held a 6-5 lead going back to serve for the match in the second. Malik and Wong fell behind 15-40 before fighting off three straight match points to send the set to a tiebreaker, which U-M won 8-6.
The teams played a 10-point super tiebreaker in lieu of a full third set for the title. U-M jumped out to a 4-1 lead, taking advantage of a Valpo overrule and subsequent point penalty. The Crusaders tied the breaker at 5-5, but Michigan followed with four straight points, capped by a Malik ace and winner for a 9-5 advantage.
The Crusaders ripped off five straight points for a 10-9 advantage. The teams went back and forth until Michigan tallied two straight points off a Wong service return and a net point that went Wong's favor to seal a 15-13 win.
Wong fell earlier in the day in the singles championship match, falling to Strong Kirchheimer of Northwestern in straight sets (6-3, 6-0). He was the first Wolverine to make the singles final since 2004.
Wong held off sophomore Myles Schalet in the semifinals to reach the final. Wong was facing a 5-4 third-set deficit with Schalet back to serve, but Wong strung together three straight games to take the match and head to the finals.
Junior Runhao Hua reached the third round of the singles main draw with a 2-1 record at the tournament as well.
Michigan is back in action in two weeks, Nov. 4-6, at the Gopher Invitational.
Day Four Results -- Monday, Oct. 24
Singles
Kevin Wong (U-M) d. Myles Schalet (U-M), 7-6, 3-6, 7-5
Strong Kirchheimer (NU) d. Kevin Wong (U-M), 6-3, 6-0
Doubles
Jathan Malik/Kevin Wong (U-M) d. Charlie Emhardt/Jeffrey Schorsch (Valparaiso), 6-7, 7-6, 1-0 (13)
Day Three Results -- Sunday, Oct. 23
Singles
Kevin Wong (U-M) d. Michael Lorenzini (NU), 6-1, 6-0
Myles Schalet (U-M) d. Alex Lebedev (ND), 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-3
Doubles
Jathan Malik/Kevin Wong (U-M) d. Konrad Zeiba/Dominik Stary (NU), 8-1
Jathan Malik/Kevin Wong (U-M) d. Matt Gamble/Alex Lebedev (ND), 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (11)
Day Two Results -- Saturday, Oct. 22
Singles
Myles Schalet (U-M) d. Hunter Tubert (Ohio State), 6-4, 6-4
Myles Schalet (U-M) d. Konrad Zeiba (NU), 6-4, 6-7, 5-4 retired
Kevin Wong (U-M) d. Matt Gamble (ND), 6-3, 6-3
Kevin Wong (U-M) d. Josh Hagar (ND), 7-6, 6-1
Runhao Hua (U-M) d. Riley Reist (Ohio State), 1-6, 7-5, 6-4
Strong Kirchheimer (NU) d. Runhao Hua (U-M), 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
Jathan Malik (U-M) d. Michael Dube (MSU), 8-3
Doubles
Jathan Malik/Kevin Wong (U-M) d. Guillermo Cabrera/Drew Dawson (ND), 8-3
Jathan Malik/Kevin Wong (U-M) d. Josef Dodridge/Chema Carranza (Wisconsin), 8-6
Runhao Hua/Myles Schalet (U-M) d. Daniel Loebel/Matt Hamilton (WMU), 8-5
Dave Bacalla/Chad Kissell (Valpo) d. Runhao Hua/Myles Schalet (U-M), 8-7
Day One Results - Friday, Oct. 21
Singles
Myles Schalet (U-M) d. Mitch Maroscher (Youngstown State), 6-4, 6-4
Michael Lorenzini (NU) d. Jathan Malik (U-M), 7-6, 7-6
Kevin Wong (U-M) d. Alex Jesse (Illinois), 6-4, 6-4
Runhao Hua (U-M) d. Alex Galoustian (DePaul), 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
Runhao Hua/Myles Schalet (U-M) d. Daniel Rayl/Conor Somers (Notre Dame), 8-3
Communications Contact: Sarah VanMetre
Players Mentioned
