MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -- The Brandeis University men's tennis team opened its 2019-20 season at the Middlebury Invitational, reaching one final and four other semifinals.
In doubles action, senior David Aizenberg (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park) teamed up with junior Anupreeth Coramutla (Monroe Township, N.J./Phillips Andover) as the fourth seed to reach the finals of A doubles flight. The duo opened up with an 8-4 win over Bates College, then in the quarterfinals defeated a duo from host Middlebury College in a tie-breaker, 8-7 (7-3). In the semis, the duo was able to roll pass their opponents from Colby College, 8-3, to reach the finals. In the finals it was a back-and-forth affair that extended to a tiebreaker, where the Judges duo fell just short to the duo from Tufts, 8-7 (8-4). Also in the doubles A flight for the Judges was second-seeded duo of sophomores Jeffrey Chen (Northfield, Ill. / New Trier) and Adam Tzeng (Eagle, Idaho/Eagle) who were upset 8-4 in the first round against Skidmore College.
In the B Doubles flight number 1 seed of sophomore Colt Tegtmeier (Madison, Wisc. / James Madison Memorial) and junior Nikhil Das (Smithfield, R.I. / Moses Brown School) were also upset in the first round falling in a tie breaker 8-7 (7-5) against foes from RPI. The duo of rookie Simon Kauppila (Chesterfield, Mo. / Marquette H.S.) and senior Benjamin Wolfe (Blue Bell, Pa. / Wissahickon) made some noise defeating Skidmore College 8-2, then in the quarterfinals, upset the second-seeded duo from Middlebury, 8-3 to reach the semifinals. However, the pair would fall short as they were defeated 8-3 in the semis against the eventual champs from Tufts.
In singles flight A second seed David Aizenberg opened up with a first round win, 6-2, 6-4, over an opponent from Middlebury. He then went on to beat an opponent from Colby College, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the semifinals but would fall in the second day of action 6-3, 6-3. Coramutla picked up a first-round win over the fourth seed from the host Panthers, 7-5, 6-3, but fell to the eventual champion from Tufts in a tight three-setter, 6-7, 7-5, 12-10. In singles flight B there were two Judges who made it to the semifinals, top seed Jeffrey Chen who opened up with a 2-6, 7-5, 10-3 victory over an opponent from RPI, then defeated an opponent from Bates 4-6, 6-4, 10-7 to reach the semifinals. However, Chen too would fall in the semis as he was defeated 6-3, 6-4 to an opponent from Middlebury. Third-seeded Adam Tzeng got off to a good start with a 6-3, 6-4 win over a Bates opponent to reach the quarterfinals where he would roll past an opponent from Middlebury College, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the semis. But Tzeng would also fall just short, as he was defeated 6-2, 6-4, by another Tufts opponent.
In singles flight C number one seed Nikhil Das won the opening round by a score of 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) against a Middlebury opponent, but was defeated in the quarterfinals, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 12-10, by Tufts. Sophomore Colt Tegtmeier was also defeated in the quarterfinal, after his upset win against number three seeded Tufts opponent, 6-1, 6-3. In singles flight D, rookie Hunter Levine (Weston, Fla. / Cypress Bay) won his opening match, 6-1, 6-2 against an opponent from Colby, but fell in the quarterfinals in a back and forth match, 6-2, 5-7, 10-8., against Tufts
The Judges will be back in action for the ITA Regionals at Colby College.
-- by Camila Casanueva '21