North Carolina State University Athletics
Friday, October 18
Cary, N.C.
ALL DAY
NC State
vs
ITA Carolina Regional
Babelis Wraps Up ITA Carolina Regional Action in Semifinals
10/21/2019 1:22:00 PM | Men's Tennis
CARY, N.C. – After becoming the first NC State player since 2010 to advance past the singles quarterfinals at the ITA Carolina Regional, Wolfpack junior Tadas Babelis ended his tournament run in the semifinal round on Monday.
Over four days of action at the tournament, Babelis posted a 5-1 singles record on his way to being one of four players still standing in the semifinal round. He was the first NC State player to reach the semifinals of the ITA Carolina Regional since Dave Thomson did so in 2010.
Babelis entered the tournament as the No. 9 seed. He started the regional by beating Breno Plentz (Gardner Webb) 6-2, 6-2, and he came back from a set down in his second match on Friday to defeat Yash Parkih (Davidson) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
On Saturday, Babelis gutted out another come-from-behind victory as his 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5) over Phillip Jordan (South Carolina) moved him into the round of 16.
Two rounds of singles action were contested on Sunday. Babelis advanced out of the round of 16 with a 6-2, 3-0 (ret.) win over Duke's Michael Heller, and he beat another Blue Devil in his quarterfinal match. The 6-3, 6-1 victory over Edu Guell sent him on to Monday's semifinals.
His match in the semifinals pitted him against a ranked opponent for the first time this season as he took on No. 112 Rrezart Cungu of Wake Forest. Babelis took a back-and-forth first set, winning the final three games of the frame to take an early advantage. Cungu managed to fight back and won the match 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 to advance to Tuesday's final.
Babelis was one of three NC State players who reached the singles round of 16 at the regional tournament. Yannai Barkai and Rafa Izquierdo Luque also picked up three straight-sets wins apiece over the first two days of the tournament before falling to top-50 opponents in the round of 16 on Sunday.
Babelis paired up with Barkai in the doubles draw. The duo advanced to the round of 16 after winning the Milwaukee Tennis Classic in late September and reached the main draw at the ITA All-American Championships last week. Babelis and Barkai won a pair of eight-game pro set matches on Saturday before falling in a tight three-set battle to Jake Munns and Jake Bhangdia of Furman on Sunday.
NC State will continue its fall slate as it hosts a UTR Tournament from Nov. 2-3.
#GoPack | @PackMensTennis
Over four days of action at the tournament, Babelis posted a 5-1 singles record on his way to being one of four players still standing in the semifinal round. He was the first NC State player to reach the semifinals of the ITA Carolina Regional since Dave Thomson did so in 2010.
Babelis entered the tournament as the No. 9 seed. He started the regional by beating Breno Plentz (Gardner Webb) 6-2, 6-2, and he came back from a set down in his second match on Friday to defeat Yash Parkih (Davidson) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
On Saturday, Babelis gutted out another come-from-behind victory as his 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5) over Phillip Jordan (South Carolina) moved him into the round of 16.
Two rounds of singles action were contested on Sunday. Babelis advanced out of the round of 16 with a 6-2, 3-0 (ret.) win over Duke's Michael Heller, and he beat another Blue Devil in his quarterfinal match. The 6-3, 6-1 victory over Edu Guell sent him on to Monday's semifinals.
His match in the semifinals pitted him against a ranked opponent for the first time this season as he took on No. 112 Rrezart Cungu of Wake Forest. Babelis took a back-and-forth first set, winning the final three games of the frame to take an early advantage. Cungu managed to fight back and won the match 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 to advance to Tuesday's final.
Babelis was one of three NC State players who reached the singles round of 16 at the regional tournament. Yannai Barkai and Rafa Izquierdo Luque also picked up three straight-sets wins apiece over the first two days of the tournament before falling to top-50 opponents in the round of 16 on Sunday.
Babelis paired up with Barkai in the doubles draw. The duo advanced to the round of 16 after winning the Milwaukee Tennis Classic in late September and reached the main draw at the ITA All-American Championships last week. Babelis and Barkai won a pair of eight-game pro set matches on Saturday before falling in a tight three-set battle to Jake Munns and Jake Bhangdia of Furman on Sunday.
NC State will continue its fall slate as it hosts a UTR Tournament from Nov. 2-3.
#GoPack | @PackMensTennis
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