Gales Claims ITA Carolina Regional Title, Punches Ticket to NCAA Singles Championship

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Clemson men’s tennis program wrapped up ITA Carolina Regionals competition in Cary, N.C., on Sunday, where Romain Gales became the singles champion. With the win, Gales qualified to compete in the NCAA Singles Championships.

Gales is the first Clemson player to receive an NCAA singles qualification since Yannick Maden (2013) and is the sixth player in program history to claim an ITA Regional Championship title, joining John Sullivan (1988), Brian Page (1987), Richard Matuszewski (1984), Lawson Duncan (1983) and Rick Rudeen (1982).

Henrik Bladelius, Edoardo Chérié Lignière, Matisse Farzam, Viktor Markov, Marko Mesarovic, Nathan Pitts, Manuel Plunger and Noa Vukadin also competed in the tournament.

Chérié Lignière advanced the furthest in singles, reaching the main draw quarterfinals. In doubles, Chérié Lignière / Gales and Bladelius / Markov each made it to the main draw quarterfinals.

Qualifying Singles Results | Main Draw Singles Results | Main Draw Doubles Results

Clemson singles records over the weekend:

• Gales (4-0)
• Chérié Lignière (3-1)
• Farzam (3-1)
• Bladelius (2-1)
• Vukadin (2-1)
• Markov (1-1)
• Mesarovic (1-1)
• Pitts (1-1)
• Plunger (1-1)

Clemson doubles records over the weekend:

• Bladelius / Markov (3-1)
• Gales / Chérié Lignière (3-1)
• Vukadin / Farzam (2-1)
• Mesarovic / Plunger (1-1)

Thursday, Oct. 16 | Qualifying Singles – First & Second Rounds

• Pitts defeated Farran (College of Charleston) 7-5 6-2 in the first round and lost to Alves (North Carolina Central) 2-6 6-3 6-4 in the second round.
• Farzam won both rounds, defeating Villen (Queens) 3-6 7-5 6-4 in the first and Collardin (Coastal Carolina) 7-5 6-4 in the second.

Friday, Oct. 17 | Main Draw Singles – First & Second Rounds

• Chérié Lignière won both rounds, defeating Gazeu (South Carolina) 6-3 6-4 in the first and Schinnerer (North Carolina) 6-3 6-4 in the second.
• Plunger defeated Parichkov (Elon) 6-4 3-6 6-4 in the first round and lost to Szymkowiak (Wake Forest) 6-2 6-4 in the second round.
• Gales won both rounds, defeating Prata (Charlotte) 6-3 6-4 in the first and Djakouris (North Carolina) 6-4 6-2 in the second.
• Markov defeated Harder (College of Charleston) 6-2 6-1 in the first round and lost to Mayew (North Carolina) 7-5 6-4 in the second round.
• Bladelius won both rounds, defeating Benton (N.C. State) 6-2 6-2 in the first and Swaine (South Carolina) 6-2 6-4 in the second.
• Farzam defeated Muenster (Charlotte) 6-2 6-0 in the first round and lost to Jones (North Carolina) 4-6 6-3 6-1 in the second round.
• Mesarovic defeated Deveney (Wofford) 6-1 6-3 in the first round and lost to da Silva (South Carolina) 3-6 6-1 7-6(4) in the second round.
• Vukadin won both rounds, defeating Bankou (South Carolina State) 7-6(5) 7-5 in the first and Shalmi (Wake Forest) 6-1 6-3 in the second.

Friday, Oct. 17 | Main Draw Doubles – First Round

• Bladelius / Markov defeated Khrystyuk / Moskowitz (UNC Greensboro) 8-1.
• Mesarovic / Plunger defeated Mude / Smith (College of Charleston) 8-7(5).
• Gales / Chérié Lignière defeated Bankou / Zamora (South Carolina State) 8-4.
• Vukadin / Farzam defeated Gloria / Yassine (Charlotte) 8-4.

Saturday, Oct. 18 | Main Draw Singles – Third Round

• Chérié Lignière defeated Borisiouk (N.C. State) 6-4 3-6 6-4.
• Gales defeated Camus (N.C. State) 6-2 6-2.
• Bladelius lost to Pow (Wake Forest) 6-2 6-4.
• Vukadin lost to Kristic (Elon) 7-6(5) 6-2.

Saturday, Oct. 18 | Main Draw Doubles – Second & Third Rounds

• Bladelius / Markov won both rounds, defeating Villen / Ryan (Queens) 8-3 in the first and Visser / Truwit (Duke) 8-2 in the second.
• Mesarovic / Plunger lost to Sanchez / Pizzigoni (Charlotte) 8-7(4) in the second round.
• Gales / Chérié Lignière won both rounds, defeating Schreiber / Cressoni (Gardner-Webb) 8-6 in the second and Prata / Dreycopp (Charlotte) 8-6 in the third.
• Vukadin / Farzam won in the second round 8-2 against Clivio / Rasheed (Wofford), then lost to Mangiapane / Zapp (North Carolina) 8-6 in the third round.

Sunday, Oct. 19 | Main Draw Singles – Quarterfinals, Semifinals & Finals

• Chérié Lignière lost to Szymkowiak (Wake Forest) 6-4 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
• Gales defeated a Wake Forest player in back-to-back rounds, defeating Delgado 6-3 6-4 in the quarterfinals and Szymkowiak 6-4 6-1 in the semifinals.
  • Gales was named ITA Carolinas Regional Singles Champion after Pow (Wake Forest) withdrew.
  • With his semifinal victory, Gales earned an NCAA Singles Championship qualification and is the first Tiger to do so since Yannick Maden in 2013.
  • Gales is the sixth player in program history to be an ITA Regional Singles Champion, joining John Sullivan (1988), Brian Page (1987), Richard Matuszewski (1984), Lawson Duncan (1983) and Rick Rudeen (1982).

Sunday, Oct. 19 | Main Draw Doubles – Quarterfinals

• Bladelius / Markov lost to Mayew / Schinnerer (North Carolina) 8-7(6) in the quarterfinals.
• Gales / Chérié Lignière lost to Xu / Ratiu (North Carolina) 8-6 in the quarterfinals.

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