LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The New Mexico State men's tennis team continues to play great tennis as the Aggies opened the ITA Mountain Regional Championships with 11 victories at the Darling Tennis Center.
 
Doubles action kicked things off as Mauri Benitez and Stijn de Haan opened with 8-4 victory of Hou-En Chen and Stefan Cooper from Weber State. Enrique Asmar and Sergi Espias also advanced to the round of 32 when they ousted Stefan and William Edin from Idaho State, 8-3.
 
In singles play, 5-of-6 players advanced to the round of 64 while four of the five players moved on to the round of 32. Benitez cruised through his opponent in the round of 128 and followed up with a great comeback in the round of 64 when he downed Denver's Wyatt Lovera 2-6, 6-0, 6-1. Asmar had fend off Northern Arizona's Tom Fisher after dropping the first set 6-2, but was able to battle back and take the next to 7-6, 6-3 before powering past Pedro Fernandez Del Valle of Denver.
 
Christofer Goncalves was challenged by Nevada's Mile Cilic in the first set, but walked away with the 7-6, 6-1 victory. The junior moved onto the round of 32 on Wednesday when he downed Idaho's Esteban Santibanez 6-4, 6-4. Espias, a transfer, has matched Goncalves win-for-win since joining the Aggies.
 
Day two action at the ITA Mountain Regionals will again begin with doubles play before switching over to singles action. For live up to the minute results from Las Vegas, click here.
 
ITA Mountain Regionals (Day 1)
Doubles (Rd. of 64)
Benitez/de Haan (NMSU) def. Chen/Cooper (WSU)– 8-4
Asmar/Espias (NMSU) def. Edin/Edin (ISU) – 8-3
 
Singles (Rd. of 128)
Mauri Benitez (NMSU) def. Peter Mimnagh-Fleming (MONT) – 6-1, 6-3
Lucas Taylor (NAU) def. Stijn de Haan (NMSU) – 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
Christofer Goncalves (NMSU) def. Mile Cilic (NEV) – 7-6, 6-1
Luis Flores (NMSU) def. Sean Huynh (DEN) – 7-6, 6-3
Enrique Asmar (NMSU) def. Tom Fisher (NAU) – 2-6, 7-6, 6-3
Sergi Espias (NMSU) def. Garret Vincent (BYU) – 6-7, 6-1, 6-2
 
(Rd. of 64)
Mauri Benitez (NMSU) def. Wyatt Lovera (DEN) – 2-6, 6-0, 6-1
Christofer Goncalves (NMSU) def. Esteban Santibanez (UI) – 6-4, 6-4
Kostya Nesterenko (NEV) def. Luis Flores (NMSU) – 6-4, 6-2
Enrique Asmar (NMSU) def. Pedro Fernandez Del Valle (DEN) – 6-2, 6-4
Sergi Espias (NMSU) def. Evaldo Neto (NEV) – 6-1, 7-5