Blue Devils Fall in Main Draw of ITA All-Americans

Thursday, October 6

Tulsa, Okla.

All Day

Duke University

Day One at ITA All-American Main Draw

Blue Devils Fall in Main Draw of ITA All-Americans

10/6/2011 11:45:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

TULSA, Okla. - Two Duke men's tennis players saw their runs in the singles competition of the ITA All-American Championships come to an end Thursday in Tulsa, Okla.

Sophomore Chris Mengel opened the day with a three-set victory over 51st-ranked Clifford Marlsand of Tulsa in the first round of singles action Thursday morning. Mengel - who is ranked 49th on the ITA's preseason list - took the first set, 6-4, while Marsland answered with a 6-3 win. However, it was Mengel who would win the decisive third set by a score of 6-3 to advance to the next round.

In his second singles match of the day, Mengel suffered a 7-5, 6-2 loss to Virginia's Mitchell Frank, who was tabbed the nation's top freshman in the ITA's preseason rankings.

Meanwhile, junior Henrique Cunha entered the main draw as the No. 3 seed in the singles competition. A native of Jaú, Brazil, Cunha is also listed fourth on the ITA's preseason list.

Cunha cruised to a first-round victory over 15th-ranked Ray Sarmiento of Southern California, 6-2, 6-2. In the second round, he faced 17th-ranked Costin Paval of Oklahoma. Paval won the first set, 7-5, while Cunha battled back to take the second by a score of 6-3. However, Paval would hang on to edge Cunha in the third set, 7-5.

Mengel and Cunha also competed in the main draw as a doubles pair. Ranked 15th heading into the fall season, the Duke duo suffered an 8-5 setback against Auburn's Andreas Mies and Alex Stamchev in Thursday afternoon's first round.

The two will compete next in doubles consolation play beginning on Friday afternoon.

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