Zito advances to flight championship with pair of victories

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Freshman Ettore Zito advanced to the finals of his flight with a pair of singles victories for the Blue Raider men’s tennis team on Saturday at the Crimson Tide Fall Championships. Zito and partner Matthew Langley will compete in the doubles semifinals, while freshman Cameron Dickerson also reached the finals of his consolation flight.

Zito battled Louisville’s Dante Terenzio in the quarterfinals to start the day, dropping the first set, 7-5. The two were evenly matched through the second set as well, with Zito eventually winning the set 7-6 after capturing the tiebreaker point, 7-3. Zito took control of the third set with a 6-2 win to claim the match. In his semifinal match, Zito took down Wake Forest’s David Hopkins in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3.

Langley joined Zito for a Round of 16 doubles victory over Alex Brym and Austin Smith of Ball State, then the duo defeated Daniel Shidler (Memphis and Terenzio in the quarterfinals, 8-4.

After dropping the initial match in the main draw of his flight, Dickerson bounced back with back-to-back singles victories on Saturday in the consolation draw of his flight to qualify for the finals. He defeated Boston College’s Alex Skinner in straight sets in the quarterfinals, then advanced after a walkover in the semifinals.

Saturday’s results and the full schedule for Sunday are below.

Saturday’s Results
Main Draw
Singles
Quarterfinals: Chris Simich (UL) def. Matthew Langley (MT) 6-3, 6-2
Quarterfinals: Ettore Zito (MT) def. Dante Terenzio (UL) 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-2
Semifinals: Ettore Zito (MT) def. David Hopkins (WF) 6-4, 6-3
Quarterfinals: Jovan Zelikovic (USM) def. Forrest Edwards (MT) 6-2, 6-4
Quarterfinals: Harris Barnard (UA) def. Marlon Brand (MT) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles
16: Matthew Langley/Ettore Zito (MT) def. Alex Brym/Austin Smith (BSU) 8-5
Quarterfinals: Matthew Langley/Ettore Zito (MT) def. Daniel Shidler (MEM)/Dante Terenzio (UL) 8-4
16: Vikram Reddy/Michael Thompson (UA) def. Forrest Edwards/Dimitri Pippos (MT) 8-4
16: Billy Grokenberger/Akash Muppidi (BC) def. Marlon Brand/Cameron Dickerson (MT) 8-5

Consolation Draw
Singles
Quarterfinals: Cameron Dickerson (MT) def. Alex Skinner (BC) 7-6(2), 6-4
Semifinals: Cameron Dickerson (MT) def. Cedric DeZutter (MEM), walkover
Quarterfinals: Dimitri Pippos (MT) def. Alex Brym (BSU) 5-7, 7-6(4), 10-2
Semifinals: Rens van der Vis (UA) def. Dimitri Pippos (MT) 4-6, 7-5, 10-6

Sunday’s Schedule
Main Draw
Singles
Finals: Ettore Zito vs. Carlos Taborga (UA), TBA

Doubles
Semifinals: Matthew Langley/Ettore Zito (MT) vs. Harris Barnard/Stuart Kenyon (UA), 9 a.m.

Consolation Draw
Singles
Finals: Cameron Dickerson (MT) vs. Zac Dunkle (SAM), 9 a.m.

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