Play at the 2007 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Tennis Individual Championship wrapped up on Sunday with a three-set battle for the No. 1 title and two other three set matches at the Drake Tennis Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
 
Top seed and national No. 88 Goran Vujaklija of Wichita State denied Drake’s Sergi Vila a repeat of 2006 as the Croatian added a second MVC Individual crown to his resume, rallying for a 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3, win at No. 1 singles.
 
Drake was the story at flights two and three as the Bulldog netters posted straight-set wins over Wichita State opponents.
 
Maor Zirkin earned top billing at No. 2, dropping the Shockers’ Boris Gubic, 6-1, 6-3, while Dalibor Pavic grabbed his second MVC title in his 6-1, 6-2, win over Tiago Espirito Santo in flight three.
 
Thiago Dos Santos was the winner at No. 4 singles, using his court quickness to topple Indiana State’s Jon Sigurdsson, 6-2, 6-2.
 
Luka Marinkovic repeated in the fifth flight for Illinois State, this time getting the better of play against Albert Ballesta of Wichita State, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.
 
Guilherme Marsiglia nabbed a third title for the hosts, earning a straight-set win over Michael Wenham of Indiana State, 6-2, 6-4.
 
Daniel Tobar claimed the second title for Illinois State with his three-set win over Drake’s Halvar Dil, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-1.
 
Doubles action saw Drake’s No. 1 team of Maor Zirkin and Dalibor Pavic upset the No. 14 team in the nation, Wichita State’s Goran Vujaklija and Boris Gubic, 8-3.
 
Number two doubles turned in the tightest of the three finals as Illinois State’s Daniel Tobar and Nuno Jacinto out-dueled Southern Illinois’ Hugo Vidal and Karl Nilsson, 8-6, for the championship.
 
Wichita State picked up its third individual title of the day at No. 3 doubles as Thiago Dos Santos and Albert Ballesta stopped Illinois State’s Luka Marinkovic and Oscar Beich, 8-5.
 
Sunday, January 28, 9 a.m.
Final Singles
Flight 6K - Guilherme Marsiglia, DU d. Michael Wenham, INS, 6-2, 6-4
Flight 5K - Luka Marinkovic, ILS d. Albert Ballesta, WSU, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
Flight 4K - Thiago Dos Santos, WSU d. Jon Sigurdsson, INS, 6-2, 6-2
Flight 3K - Dalibor Pavic, DU d. Tiago Espirito Santo, WSU, 6-1, 6-2
Flight 2K - Maor Zirkin, DU d. Boris Gubic, WSU, 6-1, 6-3
Flight 1K - Goran Vujaklija, WSU d. Sergi Vila, DU, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3
Flight 7K - Daniel Tobar, ILS d. Halvar Dil, DU, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-1
 
Sunday, January 28, Following the completion of singles
Final Doubles
Flight 3G - Dos Santos/Ballesta, WSU d. Marinkovic/Beich, ILS, 8-5
Flight 2G - Jacinto/Tobar, ILS d. Vidal/Nilsson, SIU, 8-6
Flight 1G - Zirkin/Pavic, DU d. Vujaklija/Gubic, WSU 8-3
 
2007 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Tennis Individual Championship: Day Two
 
The finals are set for the 2007 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Tennis Individual Championship as day two of competition concluded at the Drake Tennis Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
 
The top two seeds will square off in each of the first three flights, with each match featuring a head-to-head match-up between Drake and Wichita State.
 
At Flight one singles, top seed Goran Vujaklija of Wichita State leads a group of five Shockers into the singles finals as he looks to stop defending champion, Sergi Vila of Drake – also one of five finalists - from repeating at the MVC Individuals.
 
Vujaklija advanced with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Southern Illinois’ Lucas Waked and Vila topped Indiana State’s Anton Tsymbalov, 6-3, 6-3.
 
The second flight finale will feature Drake’s Maor Zirkin and Wichita State’s Boris Gubic. 
 
Zirkin will look to move up one spot from his runner-up finish a season ago, after playing just three games in his semifinal match with Indiana State’s Rishi Behl, who retired with an injury.
 
Gubic grinded out a three-set win over Illinois State’s Alfredo Lagarda, 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (5).
 
Dalibor Pavic will look be the second Bulldog looking to repeat on his home courts at No. 3, locking horns with top-seeded Tiago Espirito Santo of Wichita State.
 
Both players cruised to straight-set wins in the semifinals, Espirito Santo winning, 6-3, 6-4, over Creighton’s Joe Eckert and Pavic claiming a 6-4, 6-4 win over Illinois State’s Nuno Jacinto.
 
Finalist at No. 4 singles are Jon Sirgurdsson of Indiana State and Thiago Dos Santos of Wichita State. 
 
Sirgurdsson upset Ivan Mendoza of Drake, the flight’s top seed, in the semifinals, 6-4, 6-3, while Dos Santos, a 2006 runner up in No. 5 singles, held off Xavier Riart-Ferrer of Illinois State, 7-6 (3), 6-1 to advance.
 
At No. 5, Albert Ballesta of Wichita State and Luka Marinkovic of Illinois State will vie for the title, with Marinkovic looking to repeat at the number five position.
 
Guilherme Marsiglia of Drake and Indiana State’s Michael Wenham play for the No. 6 crown and Michael Tobar of Illinois State and Drake’s Halvar Dil square off for the top spot at No. 7.
 
In doubles, Drake’s Maor Zirkin and Dalibor Pavic knocked off last year’s champions at No. 1 doubles, Bradley’s Wil Lofgren and Alex Roby, 8-5, to move into the final.
 
They will face top-seeded Wichita State’s Goran Vujaklija and Boris Gubic, 8-4 winners over Creighton’s Nikita Dudar and Joe Eckert.
 
Southern Illinois makes an appearance in the No. 2 doubles flight finale as Hugo Vidal and Karl Nilsson knocked off Bradley’s Matt Metully and Richard Robertson, 8-4.
 
Awaiting the Salukis are Illinois State’s Nuno Jacinto and Daniel Tobar, 8-6 winners over Drake’s Sergi Vila and Ivan Mendoza.
 
Rounding out the doubles finalist, at No. 3 doubles, are Illinois State’s Luka Marinkovic and Oscar Beich versus Thiago Dos Santos and Albert Ballesta.
 
Finals will commence Sunday at 9 a.m. at the Drake Tennis Center.
 
 
Saturday, January 27, 9 a.m.
Backdraw Singles/Semifinal Singles/Backdraw Finals/Third and Fourth Singles
Flight 7E - Dave Iancu, DU d. Blake Douglas, INS, 6-2, 6-0
Flight 7F - Michael Hobson, ILS d. Rodrigo Briceno, WSU, 6-4, 6-4
Flight 6E - Kevin Gardner, WSU d. Ross Allen, CU, 6-3, 6-4
Flight 4E - Chris Miller, CU d. Matt Metully, BU, 6-7 (3), 6-2, 10-7
Flight 3E - Hugo Vidal, SIU d. Richard Robertson, BU, 6-2, 6-0
Flight 2E - Milos Stankovic, SIU d. Nikita Dudar, CU, 6-7 (3), 6-2, 10-3
Flight 1E - Yohann Nograbat, ILS d. Jose Guerra, CU, 5-0, Inj. Def
Flight 7G - Daniel Tobar, ILS d. James McAvoy, CU, 6-1, 7-5
Flight 7H - Halvar Dil, DU d. Ismael Rodrigo, BU, 7-6 (4), 6-3
Flight 6G - Guilherme Marsiglia, DU d. Oscar Beich, ILS, 6-4, 6-1
Flight 6H - Michael Wenham, INS d. Michel Macara-chvili, BU, 6-0, 6-2
Flight 5G - Albert Ballesta, WSU d. Bruno Echer, INS, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 
Flight 5H - Luka Marinkovic, ILS d. Mike Elson, CU 7-6 (5), 6-1
Flight 4G - Jon Sigurdsson, INS d. Ivan Mendoza, DU, 6-4, 6-3
Flight 4H - Thiago Dos Santos, WSU d. Xavier Riart-Ferrer, ILS, 7-6 (), 6-1
Flight 3G - Tiago Espirito Santo, WSU d. Joe Eckert, CU, 6-3, 6-4
Flight 3H - Dalibor Pavic, DU d. Nuno Jacinto, ILS, 6-4, 6-4
Flight 2G - Maor Zirkin, DU d. Rishi Behl, INS, ret.
Flight 2H - Boris Gubic, WSU d. Alfredo Lagarda, ILS, 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (5)
Flight 1G - Goran Vujaklija, WSU d. Lucas Waked, SIU, 6-4, 6-2
Flight 1H - Sergi Vila, DU d. Anton Tsymbalov, INS, 6-3, 6-3
Flight 7I - Michael Hobson, ILS d. Dave Iancu, DU, 4-6, 6-2, 10-6


Flight 4I - Karl Nilsson, SIU d. Chris Miller, CU, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8
Flight 3I - Hugo Vidal, SIU d. Mpilo Migogo, INS, 6-1, 6-1
Flight 2I - Wil Lofgren, BU d. Milos Stankovic, SIU, 6-3, 6-3
Flight 1I - Yohann Nograbat, ILS d. Evgeny Samoylov, BU, 6-4, 7-6 (2)
Flight 7J - Ismael Rodrigo, BU d. James McAvoy, CU, 6-4, 6-1 
Flight 6J - Oscar Beich, ILS d. Michel Macara-chvili, BU, 6-3, 6-2
Flight 5J - Bruno Echer, INS d. Mike Elson, CU, 7-6 (1), 6-3 
Flight 4J - Ivan Mendoza, DU d. Xavier Riart-Ferrer, ILS, 2-6, 7-5, 10-3 
Flight 3J - Nuno Jacinto, ILS d. Joe Eckert, CU, 6-0, 6-0
Flight 2J - Rishi Behl, INS v. Alfredo Lagarda, ILS - no match
Flight 1J - Lucas Waked, SIU v. Anton Tsymbalov, INS - no match
 
Saturday, January 27, 6 p.m.
Semifinal Doubles
Flight 3E - Marinkovic/Beich, ILS d. Marsiglia/Dil, DU, 8-5
Flight 3F - Dos Santos/Ballesta, WSU d. Wenham/Echer, INS, 8-2
Flight 2E - Jacinto/Tobar, ILS d. Mendoza/Vila, DU, 8-6
Flight 2F - Vidal/Nilsson, SIU d. Metully/Robertson, BU, 8-4
Flight 1E - Vujaklija/Gubic, WSU d. Eckert/Dudar, CU, 8-4
Flight 1F - Zirkin/Pavic, DU d. Lofgren/Roby, BU, 8-5
 

 

2007 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Tennis Individual Championship: Day One Recap
 
Competition on the first day of the 2007 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Tennis Individual Championships saw fast and furious action and four teams grab 22 of the 28 semifinal spots in singles.
 
Host Drake, along with Illinois State, placed six individuals into Saturday’s semifinal round while Indiana State and Wichita State claimed five positions each in the final four.
 
Defending No. 1 singles champion, Sergi Vila of Drake, kept his repeat chances alive with an opening round win over Bradley’s Evgeny Samoylov, 6-1, 6-0.
 
National No. 88 and the top seed in the first flight, Goran Vujaklija, will take on Southern Illinois’ Lucas Waked, a three-set winner over Jose Guerra of Creighton, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
 
Indiana State’s Anton Tsymbalov knocked of the No. 3 seed Yohann Nograbat of Illinois State, 6-1, 7-5, to advance to face Vila.
 
Rishi Behl of Indiana State will enter the No. 2 Flight semifinals looking to claim his second-straight MVC Individual crown, after knocking off Southern Illinois’ Milos Stankovic, 6-2, 6-3.
 
A pair of Redbirds also kept hopes alive for a back-to-back at the MVC’s, as Luka Marinkovic and Alfredo Lagarda enter tomorrow’s semifinal round.

January 26-28, 2007
Location: Drake Tennis Center - Drake Tennis Center Website
Schedule/Results (for bracket, follow PDF icon at the top right):
Text, match-by-match results for the 2007 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Tennis Individual Championship will be updated as matches finish.  The schedule of play is below.
 

Friday, January 26, 9 a.m.
Quarterfinal Singles
Flight 7A - James McAvoy, CU d. Rodrigo Briceno, WSU, 6-4, 6-1
Flight 7B - Daniel Tobar, ILS d. Dave Iancu, DU, 6-7(9), 6-2, 6-2
Flight 7C - Halvar Dil, DU d. Blake Douglas, INS, 6-0, 6-0
Flight 7D - Ismael Rodrigo, BU d. Michael Hobson, ILS, 6-1, 6-1
Flight 6B - Oscar Beich, ILS d. Kevin Gardner, WSU, 6-1, 6-0
Flight 6C - Michel Macara-chvili, BU d. Ross Allen, CU, 6-4, 6-0
Flight 5B - Bruno Echer, INS d. Alex Roby, BU, 6-4, 6-4
Flight 4B - Jon Sigurdsson, INS d. Chris Miller, CU, 6-3, 6-1
Flight 4C - Xavier Riart-Ferrer, ILS d. Matt Metully, BU, 6-2, 6-4
Flight 4D - Thiago Dos Santos, WSU d. Karl Nilsson, SIU, 6-2, 6-0
Flight 3B - Joe Eckert, CU d. Richard Robertson, BU, 6-3, 6-0
Flight 3C - Nuno Jacinto, ILS d. Hugo Vidal, SIU, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (1)
Flight 3D - Dalibor Pavic, DU d. Mpilo Migogo, INS, 6-2, 6-2
Flight 2B - Rishi Behl, INS d. Milos Stankovic, SIU, 6-2, 6-3
Flight 2C - Alfredo Lagarda, ILS d. Nikita Dudar, CU, 6-0, 6-2
Flight 2D - Boris Gubic, WSU d. Wil Lofgren, BU, 6-4, 6-4
Flight 1B - Lucas Waked, SIU d. Jose Guerra, CU 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Flight 1C - Anton Tsymbalov, INS d. Yohann Nograbat, ILS, 6-1, 7-5
Flight 1D - Sergi Vila, DU d. Evgeny Samoylov, BU, 6-1, 6-0
 
Friday, January 26, 4 p.m.
Quarterfinal Doubles
Flight 3B - Marsiglia/Dil, DU d. Miller/Allen, CU, 8-3
Flight 3C - Dos Santos/Ballesta, WSU d. Samoylov/Rodrigo, BU, 8-1
Flight 3D - Wenham/Echer, INS v. Scratch
Flight 2B - Mendoza/Vila, DU d. Espirito Santo/Gardner, WSU, 8-6 
Flight 2C - Vidal/Nilsson, SIU d. Guerra/Elson, CU, 9-7
Flight 2D - Metully/Robertson, BU d.Sigurdsson/Migogo, INS, 8-6
Flight 1B - Eckert/Dudar, CU d. Tsymbalov/Behl, INS - 9-7
Flight 1C - Zirkin/Pavic, DU d. Waked/Stankovic, SIU, 8-2 
Flight 1D - Lofgren/Roby, BU d. Nograbat/Riart-Ferrer, ILS, 8-2