Tennis Continues Play at Wilson/ITA Regionals

Orno Wins First Round Singles Match

Phil Orno

Oct. 16, 2009

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Phil Orno won his first round singles match in the main draw of the Wilson/ITA Regional Championship on Friday at the University of Michigan's Varsity Tennis Center.

Orno also teamed with Ryan Hamning to win a first round doubles match in the main draw.

In addition, Rob Fox and John Haley combined to win their first round doubles match.

"It was really a historic day for Cleveland State tennis because we got one singles player past the first round and two doubles teams past the first round and that has never happened before," head coach Brian Etzkin said. "We did some good things on the court today and hopefully will come out with the same intensity tomorrow."

Playing in the main singles draw, Orno earned a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5) win over Jose-Carlos Gutierrez of Marquette in the first round and advanced to the second round where he will face Michigan's Evan King on Saturday in the round of 32.

"Phil was disjointed in the first set, but came back strong in the second and third sets," Etzkin said. "He started to create more attacking opportunities to give himself a chance. He was great in big situations today, especially in the tiebreaks. He will play a seeded player tomorrow so he can just go out and stay loose and see what happens."

Orno also teamed with Hamning for a thrilling 9-8 (7) doubles win over a team from Northwestern. Orno and Hamning are seeded 15th in the event.

"Phil and Ryan didn't play there best today, but they pulled it out," Etzkin said. "They were down three match points and saved them all to pull out the win. I was really pleased with how they kept calm and made things happen."

Fox and Haley breezed by a doubles team from Green Bay, 8-2, in the first round of play to advance to the second round.

"Rob and John were really crisp and on their doubles games today," Etzkin said. "They were all over the next and it was good to see them beat a Horizon League team like that."

Both players were eliminated from the qualifying singles draw earlier in the day, coming up one win short of earning a spot in the main draw.

Fox lost, 7-6 (4), 6-4, to David Robare of UIC, while Haley dropped a 7-5, 6-1 decision to Matej Zlatkovic of Illinois State.

"It was disappointing that we couldn't get either Rob or John to the main draw because we thought we would be able to get at least one more player there," Etzkin said. "But that is a goal that we will continue to work toward for next year."

Hamning lost in the the first round of the main singles draw, falling to Michigan's Mike Sroczynski, 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-3.

"Ryan played a great match and it really came down to one break," Etzkin said. "They both played the same type of games with some big hitting and it was really a fun match to watch."

Orno will be back in action at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, while Hamning will play at 11:30 a.m. in a consolation singles match.

The doubles is slated to begin around 4:00 p.m.

CSU QUALIFYING ROUND SINGLES RESULTS
Matej Zlatkovic (Ill. St.) d. John Haley (CSU), 7-5, 6-1
Dave Robare (UIC) d. Rob Fox (CSU), 7-6 (4), 6-4)

Haley and Fox eliminated from singles draw

CSU MAIN DRAW SINGLES RESULTS
Phil Orno (CSU) d. Jose-Carlos Gutierrez (MARQ), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5)
Mike Sroczynski (Michigan) d. Ryan Hamning (CSU), 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-3

Orno to play Evan King (Michigan) in Round of 32 on Saturday

CSU DOUBLES RESULTS
Orno/Hamning (CSU) d. Schanerman-Wolf (NW), 9-8 (7)
Miljevic-Pelaez (Ill. St.) d. Klepatz/Jones (CSU), 9-7
Fox/Haley (CSU) d. Oothoudt-Swanson (UWGB), 8-2