Wolverines Kick Off 2009 at Key Biscayne Invitational

Friday, January 9

Key Biscayne, Fla.

Michigan

Key Biscayne Invitational

Wolverines Kick Off 2009 at Key Biscayne Invitational

1/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis

By: Marc Ressler

Site: Key Biscayne, Fla. (Tennis Center at Crandon Park)
Event: Key Biscayne Invitational
Scoring: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Match: Saturday, Jan. 24 -- vs. Western Michigan (Varsity Tennis Center), 10 a.m.

• Complete Results

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan men's tennis team opened the new year by competing against No. 2 Texas, No. 23 Alabama and No. 58 Georgia Tech at the Key Biscayne Invitational, held Friday through Sunday (Jan. 9-11) at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park, home of the Sony Ericsson Open. Senior Andrew Mazlin (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) and sophomore Chris Madden (Lotus, Calif./Ponderosa HS) led the U-M charge against a talented field of players, with both Wolverines claiming wins in two singles matches while teaming together for one doubles victory.

Mazlin began the event with a solid 6-3, 7-6(6) triumph over Alabama's No. 115-ranked Billy Mertz on Friday, marking his fourth career win over a nationally ranked opponent. After dropping a straight-set loss (6-2, 6-0) to No. 84-ranked Olivier Sajous of Texas on Saturday, Mazlin rebounded with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 victory over Georgia Tech's Kevin King on Sunday. Mazlin now has 75 career singles wins at Michigan.

Madden opened the event with his 25th career singles victory, a 6-2, 7-5 decision over Alabama's Andrew Felsenthal. Madden then closed out the weekend with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 win over Georgia Tech's Ryan Smith.

Sophomore/freshman Drew Daniel (Overland Park, Kan./Laurel Springs School) was also victorious in two of his three singles outings, claiming straight-set wins over Alabama's Trey Walston (6-2, 6-3) and Georgia Tech's Austin Roebuck (6-3, 6-4). Daniel stands at 8-7 overall heading into his first dual-match season.

Seniors Peter Aarts (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane HS) and Mike DePietro (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS), junior Mike Sroczynski (Chatham, N.J./Laurel Springs School) and sophomore Jason Jung (Torrance, Calif./West Torrance HS) each picked up one singles win over the weekend. Sroczynski's 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Alabama's No. 106-ranked John Lewis marked his third career victory over a nationally ranked opponent. Aarts' 6-3, 6-2 decision over Alabama's Dan Buikema was his 50th career singles win as a Wolverine. Jung achieved his 25th career singles victory with a 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 win over Alabama's Saketh Myneni, while DePietro reached the 20-win plateau for his singles career with his convincing 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Texas' Rook Schellenberg.

Madden and Mazlin improved to 5-4 on the season thanks to an 8-3 victory over Lewis and Walston, while Aarts and junior George Navas (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory School) handed Felsenthal and Michael Thompson an 8-6 defeat to move their career record as a Wolverine doubles tandem to 2-2.

Michigan opens the 2009 dual-match season next Saturday (Jan. 24) with a doubleheader at the Varsity Tennis Center. U-M will meet Western Michigan at 10 a.m. and Ball State at 6 p.m.