Texas Tech University Athletics
Stewart earns semifinal spot at Midland Racquet Club Invitational
September 10, 2023 | Men's Tennis
MIDLAND, Texas – Junior Tyler Stewart went on a run at the Midland Racquet Club Invitational this weekend after winning three singles matches to earn a semifinals spot at the tournament, while junior Takeyasu Sekiguchi won the Bronze Draw in singles on Sunday morning.
Stewart faced Arkansas' Jared Horwood in the Round of 32, posting a straight-set win over the Razorback, 6-3, 6-4, before winning in an impressive battle the following round. Competing against Benedikt Emesz (Arkansas) in the Round of 16, Stewart would win the first set in a breaker, 7-6 (5), then fall in another tiebreak set, 6-7 (2). He only gave up three games in the final set, 6-3, to claim the match.
In the quarterfinals, Stewart rallied from behind after dropping the first set to Oklahoma's Justin Schlageter, then the Red Raider only allowed four games to the Sooner in the remaining sets to win it, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, and make it to the semifinals.
Junior Sebastian Abboud had a great tournament after a quarterfinals appearance in singles. In the first round, Abboud took on OU's Mark Mandlik, winning the first set, 6-4, before falling by a 6-1 score in set two. Abboud turned it around and claimed the match with a 6-3 third set to move on. Abboud would go on to post a straight-set victory over Texas' Lucas Brown, 6-4, 6-4, before falling to Texas A&M's top player, Raphael Perot, in the quarterfinals.
Sekiguchi was the Bronze Draw champion after earning three victories over players from Texas A&M, Arkansas and Boise State. Sekiguchi was on a roll in his first match against Ritesh Patil, winning set one by a 6-4 score, then going up 3-0 before his opponent retired. In the following match, Sekiguchi took on Horwood. After losing the first set, 6-4, Sekiguchi dominated set two, 6-1, before winning the super tiebreaker, 10-8.
In the Bronze Draw finals, the Red Raider fell in set one, 6-4, to Jett Middleton, and once again, won the next set by a 6-1 score to force the super tiebreak. In the breaker, Sekiguchi only dropped two points en route to a 10-2 victory.
In addition, freshman Jonas Gundacker collected his first singles win in the Scarlet & Black when he defeated Texas A&M's Grant Lothringer in three tough sets, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 1-0 (8).
Tech will continue its fall slate this upcoming weekend in Winston-Salem, N.C., at the Wake Forest Hidden Duals on Sept. 15-17.
RESULTS
Singles
Main Draw
R32: Tyler Stewart def. Jared Horwood, 6-3, 6-4
R32: Sebastian Abboud def. Mark Mandlik, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
R32: Alex Martinez def. Takeyasu Sekiguchi, 0-6, 7-6 (1), 6-1
R32: George Stoupe def. Jonas Gundacker, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4
R16: Tyler Stewart def. Benedikt Emesz 7-6 (5), 6-7 (2), 6-3
R16: Sebastian Abboud def. Lucas Brown, 6-4, 6-4
QF: Tyler Stewart def. Justin Schlageter, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
QF: Raphael Perot def. Sebastian Abboud, 7-5, 6-1
SF: Alex Martinez def. Tyler Stewart, 6-4, 6-4
Back Draw
James Van Herzeele def. Takeyasu Sekiguchi, 0-6, 4-6
Jonas Gundacker def. Grant Lothringer, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 1-0 (8)
Nathan Han def. Jonas Gundacker, 6-4, 6-3
Bronze Draw
Takeyasu Sekiguchi def. Ritesh Patil, 6-4, 3-0 (ret.)
Takeyasu Sekiguchi def. Jared Horwood, 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 (8)
Takeyasu Sekiguchi def. Jett Middleton, 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 (2)
Doubles
R16: Raphael Perot/Togan Tokac def. Jonas Gundacker/Takeyasu Sekiguchi, 8-4
R16: Jett Middleton/Samuel Sippel def. Sebastian Abboud/Tyler Stewart, 8-1
Players Mentioned
