CORPUS CHRSTI – In a rematch of last season's Marco & Co. Catering Islanders Open men's singles final, it was junior Ricardo Mayagoitia posting a 6-3, 6-2 straight-set victory over reigning champion Kevin Bettendroffer to clinch the men's title. It marked the fifth straight year the men's single finals featured all Islanders. The men's team has had eight-of-nine champions in the men's draw.
"We are very grateful to Marco & Co. Catering and the Corpus Christi tennis community for making this a great day," Director of Tennis Steve Moore said. "One of our goals to take this program to the next level was an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) fall tournament, so we are very grateful to Marco Mattolini for making this event possible.
"This is the third day in a row of having over 150 people in attendance and that speaks volumes about this community and the way they support Islanders Tennis. I'm very proud of Ricardo, he has worked very hard to improve his game. I feel same about Celia, Judit and Maider. We have a team of hard working players who are getting better every week. UTSA and UTA had a great tournament as well and they deserve to be congratulated for the high level they played this weekend."
In the women's singles final, junior Celia Rodriguez dropped a close 7-5, 6-1 loss to Miriam Rosell Canudas of UTSA. Prior to that, she defeated fellow Islander and doubles partner Maider Martin, 6-4, 7-5, in the semifinals. Martin advanced to the semifinals for the second straight year, but fell short of the finals for the first time in her career. Rosell Canudas advanced to the finals after posting a 6-3, 6-4 win over freshman Judit Vives in the semifinals.
In the men's doubles semifinals, Bettendroffer and Guillaume Rauseo edged out Texas-Pan American's Koby Jansen and Hector Ramirez, 8-6. In the finals, Carlos Arbiza and Daniel Echeverry of UT Arlington topped the Islander duo, 8-2.
In the women's doubles semifinals, Chelsea Horan and Judit Vives fell to Jacoba Junger and Rosell Canudas of UTSA, 8-3. Martin and Rodriguez also dropped a close 8-6 loss to eventual champion Astrid Gehre and Agustina Serio of UTA.
The Islanders will next host the Mercedes-Benz Islanders Tennis Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 9 a.m.
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