Michigan
Big Ten Singles Main Draw (Days 1-2)
Maravic Reaches Semifinals at Big Ten Singles Event
11/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Event: Big Ten Singles Championship
Scoring: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Match: Monday, Nov. 13 -- Main Draw (Day 3) at Big Ten Singles Championship (Varsity Tennis Center), 9:00 a.m.
Maravic Reaches Semifinals at Big Ten Singles Event
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Junior Matko Maravic (Zagreb, Croatia/V. Gimnazija) of the University of Michigan men's tennis team has advanced to the semifinal round at the 2006 Big Ten Conference Singles Championship, after defeating four straight opponents during main draw action Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 11-12) at U-M's Varsity Tennis Center. The 25th-ranked Maravic was the lone Wolverine out of three Michigan quarterfinalists to move on to the final four of the 64-player bracket.
Maravic will face Indiana's Dara McLoughlin in the semifinals tomorrow (Monday, Nov. 13) at 9 a.m. Should he advance, Maravic will meet the winner of the match between Indiana's David Bubenicek and Wisconsin's Nolan Polley in the championship later in the afternoon.
Maravic, the No. 2 seed in the main draw, began his quest for the title with a three-set win over Wisconsin's Lachezar Kasarov, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, in Saturday's opening round. Maravic returned to the court later in the day and posted a 6-1, 6-4 triumph over Alex Forger of Michigan State.
The victory over Forger was the first of three consecutive straight-set wins for the Wolverine. Sunday's third round saw Maravic dispose of Penn State's Michael James, 6-3, 7-6(4), before knocking off Ohio State's No. 105-ranked Justin Kronauge by a score of 7-5, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
Maravic has been victorious in seven of his nine singles matches this fall, including wins over two nationally-ranked players.
A pair of Wolverines closely missed a chance on joining Maravic in the semifinal round.
Sophomore Andrew Mazlin (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) picked up three straight wins, advancing to the quarterfinals against McLoughlin. It looked as if Mazlin would move on to face his Michigan teammate, as he took the first set by a 6-2 margin. McLoughlin, however, stormed back to win the final two sets, 7-6(3), 6-4, to advance to Monday's semifinal against Maravic.
Sophomore Peter Aarts (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane HS) also reached the quarterfinal round after posting three straight wins, highlighted by a stellar 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 comeback effort over Penn State's Adam Slagter in the third round. Aarts started off strong with a 3-0 lead in the first set against Bubenicek, but the Hoosier went on to claim nine straight games in a 6-3, 6-0 victory.
Seniors Ryan Heller (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North HS) and Brian Hung (Hong Kong, China/Sagemont Virtual School) each won two of three matches to reach the third round of play.
Freshmen George Navas (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory School) and Mike Sroczynski (Chatam, N.J./Laurel Springs School) recorded first-round victories at the tournament. Navas defeated Ohio State's Ty Schaub (6-3, 6-3), while Sroczynski earned his first career singles win with a 7-5, 6-3 decision over Penn State's Ryan Gormley.
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
