Men's Tennis Continues Strong Singles Play Over Weekend at Belmont Fall Invitational

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Wrapping up its first fall competition, the Belmont University men's tennis team produced strong results over the weekend at the Belmont Fall Invitational in the Music City. The host Bruins posted 10 combined singles wins between Saturday and Sunday in hidden duals versus Youngstown State and Tennessee Tech as four different players went unbeaten in singles action for the weekend.
 
Sophomore Ian Cruz, junior Niklas von Hellens and sophomore Drake transfer Gabriel Sardo all went 3-0 in singles play across the three days, while junior Alfred Wallin posted a 2-0 singles record.
 
Belmont took all doubles matches when facing the reigning Horizon League regular season and tournament champion Penguins Saturday afternoon and von Hellens teamed up with Cumberland University's Jackson Vaughan to claim a convincing 6-1 doubles set.
 
Dropping just three sets across seven singles matches against Youngstown State, the Bruins earned six wins with graduate Marko Ilic prevailing in a third-set tiebreaker (7-4).
 
Junior Tomas Luis teamed up with Ilic Sunday afternoon to secure Belmont's lone doubles victory versus Tennessee Tech. The duo bested the Golden Eagles' Jun Sasagawa and Evzen Holis, 6-3, before the Bruins secured four of six singles matches.
 
Cruz handled Tennessee Tech's Pol Masafret 6-0, 6-3 and von Hellens fought through a three-set affair, defeating the Golden Eagles' Jun Sasagawa 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. Sardo topped Cumberland's Vaughan in an eight-game pro set (8-4) and senior Jack Randall recovered from a 6-4 second set loss to Tennessee Tech's Carlos Vicente with a clinching 6-4 set three win after taking the opening set 6-0.
 
Saturday, Sept. 17
 
Doubles
Marko Ilic/Jack Randall (Belmont) def. Harry Fouzas/Laurentiu Mandocescu (Youngstown St.) 6-3
Ian Cruz/Tomas Luis (Belmont) def. Nathan Favier/Will Everett (Youngstown St.) 6-3
Alfred Wallin/Gabriel Sardo (Belmont) def. Clement Mainguy/David Alvarez Moreno (Youngstown St.) 7-6 (6)
Niklas von Hellens (Belmont)/Jackson Vaughan (Cumberland) def. Asier Pena Ibanez/Javi Pla (Youngstown St.) 6-1
 
Singles
Marko Ilic (Belmont) def. Laurentiu Mandocescu (Youngtown St.) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4)
Ian Cruz (Belmont) def. Harry Fouzas (Youngtown St.) 7-5, 6-1
Jack Randall (Belmont) def. David Alvarez Moreno (Youngtown St.) 6-1, 6-3
Niklas von Hellens (Belmont) def. Will Everett (Youngtown St.) 6-1, 6-1
Clement Mainguy (Youngtown St.) def. Tomas Luis (Belmont) 7-6 (5), 6-4
Alfred Wallin (Belmont) def. Nathan Favier (Youngtown St.) 6-3, 6-3
Gabriel Sardo (Belmont) def. Asier Pena Ibanez (Youngtown St.) 7-5, 6-1
 
Sunday, Sept. 18
 
Doubles
Carlos Vicente/Pol Masafret (Tennessee Tech) def. Jack Randall/Gabriel Sardo (Belmont) 6-3
Tomas Luis/Marko Ilic (Belmont) def. Jun Sasagawa/Evzen Holis (Tennessee Tech) 6-3
Mika Berghaus/Jaime Paquet (Tennessee Tech) def. Ian Cruz/Niklas von Hellens (Belmont) 7-5
 
Singles
Ian Cruz (Belmont) def. Pol Masafret (Tennessee Tech) 6-0, 6-3
Niklas von Hellens (Belmont) def. Jun Sasagawa (Tennessee Tech) 6-2, 5-7, 6-2
Evzen Holis (Tennessee Tech) def. Tomas Luis (Belmont) 6-4, 0-6, 6-1
Gabriel Sardo (Belmont) def. Jackson Vaughan (Cumberland) 8-4
Mika Berghaus (Tennessee Tech) def. Marko Ilic (Belmont) 7-6 (2), 6-1
Jack Randall (Belmont) def. Carlos Vicente (Tennessee Tech) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4
 
Up Next
Belmont continues its fall slate in October when the Bruins host the Universal Tennis College Circuit at the Belmont Tennis Complex Saturday-Monday, Oct. 8-10.
 
Follow Belmont men's tennis on social media – @BelmontMTennis on Twitter and @belmontmtennis on Instagram – for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.