Men’s Tennis: Bryan Koniecko Downs Seventh-Seed at Challengers Series Event – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Wildcard entry advances to second round
COLUMBUS, Ohio Senior-to-be Bryan Koniecko of the Ohio State men’s tennis team upset Brendan Evans, ranked 174th in the world, in the opening round Monday at the Fifth Third Bank Tennis Championships. The hard court event is just one stop in the 2008 Challengers Series held at the University of Kentucky’s Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center in Lexington, Ky.
As a wildcard entry into the tournament, Koniecko, a native of Long Island, N.Y., defeated Evans who entered the opening round of 32 ranked seventh. The two-time All-American Buckeye made quick work of Evans in the first set, winning 6-2 before dropping the second set 6-7 (8). In the decisive third set, Koniecko clinched his spot in the second round taking the set by a score of 6-3.
The 2008 Big Ten Player of the Year next faces the winner of the match between Colin Ebelthite of Australia and Andrea Stoppini of Italy in the second round of the singles main draw. Koniecko and partner Marcus Fugate also earned a wildcard bid into the doubles main draw but fell in the first round, 6-3, 6-1, to twin brothers Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana of Thailand.
