USTA Futures Doubles Final; Singles Quarterfinals Friday

USTA Pro Circuit Men’s Futures

No. 1 Pair Advance to Doubles Final; No. 2 Advances to Singles Quarterfinals Friday

GODFREY –The doubles final and singles quarterfinal will be held Friday in the 15th Annual Lewis and Clark Community College United States Tennis Association (USTA) Men’s Pro Circuit Futures tournament.

Singles play starts at 8 a.m. and doubles final not before 11 a.m. at the Andy Simpson Tennis Complex at the college.

For the doubles championship title, No. 1 team Sebastien Boltz, of France, and Luca Margaroli, of Switzerland, will face Illini Ryan Rowe, of Moline, and his partner and former stand-out University of Tulsa player Marcelo Arevalo, 21, of El Salvador.

Boltz and Margaroli defeated twin 18-year-old brothers Martins and Janis Podzus, of Latvia, 6-3, 7-6(3) Thursday.

Rowe and Arevalo won their match against 14-year-old Stefan Kozlov and 15-year-old Hentrik Wiersholm 6-2, 6-2. This is the first USTA Pro Circuit Futures tournament for Kozlov and Wiersholm—both American players who will enter high school this fall.

Only one seeded player remains in the running for the singles title—No. 2 Cesar Rameriz, 22, of Mexico, who will play Nick Chappell, 19, of Indianapolis.

Rameriz has an ATP ranking of 432 and defeated American Christopher Racz 6-3, 6-4 Thursday to earn his spot.

Chappell, a sophomore at Texas Christian University, defeated Costin Paval, of Romania, 6-3, 6-4 Thursday.

Chappell is one of three players who have worked up through the qualifying rounds to make it to the singles quarterfinals. American Ryan Thatcher and Martins Podzus, 18, of Latvia, also have been playing since last Friday for the chance to win the $10K tournament.

On Thursday, Podzus defeated No. 1 seed Marcelo Arevalo 6-3, 6-3 to advance. Aravelo came into the tournament with a No. 411 ATP ranking while Podzus came in to the qualifying rounds at No. 1471.

Podzus will face Illini alum Dennis Nevolo who defeated fellow Illini Ryan Rowe Thursday 6-3, 6-3 to earn his spot in the quarterfinals. Nevolo, is one of only 10 men selected to play on the USTA Collegiate Team this summer.

Thatcher, 22, a recent Stanford graduate, defeated No. 6 Sebastien Boltz, of France, Thursday 7-6 (4), 6-2 and will play Alex Blumenberg, 20, of Brazil who defeated No. 4 Ji Sun Nam, of Korea, 6-3, 6-4.

Other singles players hoping for a win in the quarterfinals Friday include 14-year-old Kozlov, of Pembroke, Fla., who will play American Jason Jung.

Kozlov, the youngest player in the tournament, defeated Adam Harrison, 18, of Austin, Tx. 7-6 (3), 2-6, 7-5 (1).

Jung, 23, a former University of Michigan player, was a two-time All-Big Ten (2010 and 2011) and two-time NCAA Individual Championship qualifier.

The tournament is free and open to the public with covered seating available. For more information, call (618) 468-6252.

For the latest in tournament news and to view/download photos visit the tournament website at www.lc.edu/USTA.

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