Michigan
ITA All-American Championships
Young's ITA All-American Championships Road Ends in Semifinals
10/7/2023 4:42:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Site: Tulsa, Okla. (Case Tennis Center, LaFortune Park)
Event: ITA All-American Championships
Result: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event:Â Thr-Mon., Oct. 19-23 -- host, ITA Midwest Regional Championships (Varsity Tennis Center)
TULSA, Okla. -- Gavin Young of the University of Michigan men's tennis team made an impressive run at the ITA All-America Championships, that saw him reach Saturday afternoon's (Oct. 7) semifinals as an unseeded player.
The junior from Apple Valley, Minn., is ranked No. 31 in the preseason ITA rankings after a 24-14 singles record last season, which included a 13-8 dual mark.
Young faced a tough opponent in Murphy Cassone (Arizona State), who was defeated by former Wolverine Ondrej Styler in the last year's NCAA semifinals. Young was unable to repeat the results as Cassone came out on top Saturday, winning 6-4, 6-2.
Young opened with a win over No. 58 Justin Schlageter of Oklahoma on Wednesday (Oct. 4), coming back after dropping the first set 6-2 to take the next two sets by matching 6-2 sets. Those two sets set him on an eight-set win streak, as he topped his next three opponents in straight sets.
No. 12 JJ Tracy (Ohio State) was up next for Young, who dispatched the Buckeye 6-3, 6-3 in the second round on Thursday (Oct. 5).
No. 22 Peter Makk (USC) went down Friday (Oct. 6) in the third round in 6-1, 6-4 fashion to set up a quarterfinal match with No. 2-ranked Chris Rodesch (Virginia) -- an NCAA semifinalist last season -- in the evening. Young recorded a 6-3, 6-4 win to advance to the semifinals. It was the second time in Young's career that he recorded a win over a No. 2-ranked player, following a Feb. 17 win over Nishesh Basavareddy of Stanford.
Earlier in the week, Young and doubles partner Nino Ehrenschneider went 1-1, taking down No. 21-ranked Chris Rodesch and Edoardo Graziani (Virginia) 6-3, 6-7 (3), 10-3 before falling the No. 1-ranked pair of Eliot Spizzirri and Cleeve Harper of Texas.
Jacob Bickersteth reached the third round of qualifying singles, with victories over Nathan Cox (Vanderbilt) and Filip Planinsek (Alabama). He and Will Cooksey also had a doubles win in qualifying over a pair from Nevada.
Michigan will host the ITA Midwest Regional Championships, Thursday through Monday (Oct. 19-23) at the Varsity Tennis Center.
Qualifying Singles
Will Cooksey
First Round (Oct. 2) -- l. Aleksander Orilkowski (Florida), 7-5, 5-7, 1-6
Consolation (Oct. 3) -- d. No. 90 Jordan Hasson (Oklahoma), 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-6 (6)
Jacob Bickersteth
First Round (Oct. 2) -- d. No. 119 Nathan Cox (Vanderbilt), 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-0
Second Round (Oct. 3) -- d. No. 47 Filip Planinsek (Alabama), 6-3, 6-3
Third Second (Oct. 3) -- l. No. 81 Jack Anthrop (Ohio State), 7-6 (3), 3-6, 1-6
Nino Ehrenschneider
First Round (Oct. 2) -- l. Benito Sanchez Martinez (Mississippi State), 6-2, 4-6, 0-6
Consolation (Oct. 3) -- l. No. 125 Max McKennon (Arizona State), 3-6, 1-6
Qualifying Doubles
Jacob Bickersteth/Will Cooksey
First Round (Oct. 2) -- d. Matheo Coupu/Yousef Kadiri (Nevada), 6-4, 6-4
Second Round (Oct. 2) -- l. No. 37 Giulio Perego/Togan Tokac (Texas A&M), 6-2, 2-6, 8-10
Main Doubles Alternates/Qualifying Doubles
Nino Ehrenschneider/Gavin Young
First Round (Oct. 4) -- d. No. 21 Chris Rodesch/Edoardo Graziani (Virginia), 6-3, 6-7 (3), 10-3
Second Round (Oct. 5) -- l. No. 1 Eliot Spizzirri/Cleeve Harper (Texas), 0-6, 5-7
Main Draw Singles
Gavin Young
First Round (Oct. 4) -- d. No. 58 Justin Schlageter (Oklahoma), 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
Second Round (Oct. 5) -- d. No. 12 JJ Tracy (Ohio State), 6-3, 6-3
Third Round (Oct. 6) -- d. No. 22 Peter Makk (USC), 6-1, 6-4
Quarterfinals (Oct. 6) -- d. No. 2 Chris Rodesch (Virginia), 6-3, 6-4
Semifinals (Oct. 7) -- l. No. 4 Murphy Cassone (Arizona State), 4-6, 2-6
Players Mentioned
