Aggie Invitational Draws (updated through day one)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - With five players engaged in singles action and another two doubles teams taking to the courts, the NM State men's tennis team began its fall season Friday by working its way through the various brackets of the Aggie Invitational at the NM State Tennis Complex.
DOUBLES
• Without a tandem to face off against in the first Crimson flight, NM State's duo of Louis Menard and Martin Simecek moved on to the second round of the doubles championship bracket by default. They'll tangle with Western New Mexico's duo of Joaquin Delpino and Yu Jhe Du at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning.
• The lone doubles team in action for the Aggies Friday, Gijs Akkermans and Corey Clarke began their run in the Aggie Invitational by scoring an 8-2 triumph over the Arizona Christian pairing of Martin Thomas and Jones Wand. Akkermans and Clarke set themselves up for a Saturday morning showdown with Northern Arizona's Daniel Dillon and Maciej Ziomber at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning.
SINGLES
• A pair of Aggies - Menard and Simecek - captured two triumphs to advance to the first Crimson flight semifinals.
• Menard worked his way past Ziomber by a 6-4, 6-2 tally in the opening match for both competitors. Later in the afternoon, NM State's Frenchman took down Abilene Christian's Mihaly Deli via a 6-1, 6-2 result. That sets up a meeting between Menard and Abilene Christian's Savan Chabra at 11:00 a.m. with a trip to the first Crimson flight championship bout at stake.
• Simecek, meanwhile, needed to mount a comeback to keep his hopes for a flight title alive. After falling in the first set, Simecek recovered in a big way and generated a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Northern Arizona's Dominik Buzonies. Simecek continued his winning ways in his afternoon match, besting Abilene Christian's Cesar Barranquero 6-3, 6-1 to improve to 2-0 on the day. Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m., Simecek encounters Lamar's Daniel Sancho Arbizu and the two will duke it out for a spot in the first Crimson flight championship match.
• Down in the second Crimson flight, Corey Clarke bounced back from a 6-4, 6-4 defeat at the hands of Abilene Christian's Oswaldo Sosa. The Australian beat Northern Arizona's Daniel Dillon 7-6, 6-3 to advance in the consolation bracket.
• Gijs Akkermans remained in the running for a bracket title by generating two victories. His first came via a 6-3, 7-6 result against Abilene Christian's Benjamin McDonald. Akkermans followed that up with a 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 come-from-behind win over Northern Arizona's Joachin Schafer. Like his teammates in the top flight, Akkermans will take the court at 11:00 a.m. where he'll tangle with Lamar's Juan Rodriguez.
• Aggie newcomer Ryan Ford moved on to the second round of the third Crimson flight bracket by default. Once he faced a competitor, he pushed past Arizona Christian's Marcello Diaz 6-3, 6-4. Ford meets Northern Arizona's Marcus Sulen in that flight semifinals at 11:00 a.m. Saturday morning.
COMING UP NEXT
• NM State's competitors will continue their play on day two of the Aggie Invitational Saturday morning. Action is set to begin at 9:00 a.m. that day at the NM State Tennis Complex.
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