Ben Davis advances to round of 16 at USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional

MEMPHIS - Middle Tennessee men's tennis junior Ben Davis advanced to the round of 16 in the singles draw of the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional on Saturday in Memphis. Two other Blue Raiders reached the round of 32.

Davis, the no. 9 seed in the tournament, started the day with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) win over Kentucky's Beck Pennington. In the round of 32, Davis defeated Jimmy Roebker of Xavier 6-4, 6-3. Davis will face Dimitrije Tasic of Indiana on Sunday afternoon in the round of 16.

Sophomores Christoph Lang and Ettore Zito also reached the round of 32 Saturday. Lang won his first match of the day 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 over Memphis' Cedric de Zutter. He then ran into the no. 2 seed in the tournament, Mikelis Libietis of Tennessee, and lost 1-6, 3-6. Zito won his round of 64 match 6-1, 6-3 over Roberto Vieira of Chattanooga 6-1, 6-3. In the next round, Zito lost in two tiebreakers to Joe Salisbury of Memphis 6-7 (4-7), 6-7 (3-7).

Marlon Brand and Yannick Born were not as successful in their round of 64 matches Saturday. Brand fell to Lauri Makikalli of Wright State 2-6, 1-6. Born also lost in straight sets to Vanderbilt's Kristofer Yee 4-6, 2-6.

Davis' match on Sunday is set to begin at 1 p.m. at the Racquet Club of Memphis.

Saturday's Results

Round of 64

Ben Davis (MT) def. Beck Pennington (UK) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)

Christoph Lang (MT) def. Cedric de Zutter (Memphis) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3

Ettore Zito (MT) def. Roberto Vieira (UTC) 6-1, 6-3

Lauri Makikalli (WSU) def. Marlon Brand (MT) 6-2, 6-1

Kristofer Yee (Vanderbilt) def. Yannick Born (MT) 6-4, 6-2

Round of 32

Ben Davis (MT) def. Jimmy Roebker (Xavier) 6-4, 6-3

Mikelis Libietis (Tennessee) def. Christoph Lang (MT) 6-1, 6-3

Joe Salisbury (Memphis) def. Ettore Zito (MT) 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3)

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