Oct. 4, 2009

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The Memphis men's tennis team advanced four singles netters to the finals of their respective flights this weekend at the Steve Baras Memorial Tournament hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Also, two doubles duos for the Tigers will battle for the A1 doubles flight title on Sunday. Doubles and singles finals will be concluded on Sunday.

Memphis senior Michael Hayes defeated Mercer's Raoul Martinez in the first round of A2 singles flight action on Friday in Chattanooga, 6-4, 6-3. In the quarterfinal round, Hayes upended Belmont's Renato Antun, 6-3, 7-6 (6). Hayes advanced to the finals with a semifinal victory over Richard Cowden of Middle Tennessee, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Hayes lost the final match due to an injury that forced him to pull himself of the match.

Memphis junior Michael Gaerthoeffner opened tournament play with a 6-1, 6-3, defeat of Jacksonville State's Felipe Watanabe on Friday. In the quarterfinal round, Gaerthoeffner defeated Austin Peay's Henrique Norbiato, 6-2, 7-5. Gaerthoeffner advanced to the finals of the B1 singles flight with a victory over Jacob Wright of UNC-Greensboro, 6-0, 6-0. Gaerthoeffner was scheduled to play his final match vs. Belmont's Rodrigo Amaral on Sun., Oct. 4 at 9 p.m.

Sophomore David Henry captured the B2 flight championship on Saturday. The native of Signal Mountain, Tenn. (right outside of Chattanooga) upended Austin Peay's Amar Subasic, 6-2, 6-2, in the first round of action. In the quarterfinal round, Henry defeated Simon Janik of Kennesaw State, 4-6, 6-2, 1-0. Henry advanced to the finals with a 6-0, 6-1, victory over Belmont's Felipe Lima. Henry captured the title with a 6-3, 6-1, win over Eastern Kentucky's Carlos Valdenebro.

Junior Jordan Smith upended UTC's Rick van Bouenkamp, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round of the C1 singles draw. Smith defeated Mercer's Adam Hunt, 7-6(3), 6-1, in the quarterfinal round. He advanced to the finals with a 1-6, 6-3, 7-6, win over Eastern Kentucky's Philip Janz. Smith won the C1 singles flight with a 6-4, 6-4, defeat of Belmont's Bruno Silva.

In doubles, the pair of senior Spencer Heflin and junior John Taylor won their first match of the tournament, 8-1, over Tyler Jeffers and Michal Yokusuk of Lee. In the quarterfinals, Heflin and Taylor upended Austin Peay's Sean Bailey and Norbiato, 8-5. The Memphis duo advanced to the finals with a 8-6 victory over Richard Cowden and Matthew Langley of Middle Tennessee.

Also in the A1 doubles flight, Memphis' Henry and Smith won their first round match over Kennesaw State's Gianni Kubin and Gokolp Ozdemir, 8-3. In the quarterfinals, Henry and Smith upended Gustavo Holz and Brian Kenyon of Jacksonville State, 8-3. Henry and Smith advanced to the finals with a 9-8 victory over Janz and Nik Schroder of Eastern Kentucky. The pair of Smith and Henry and Heflin and Taylor are slated to face-off for the A1 doubles final.