May 10, 2003

SAN DIEGO - SAN DIEGO -- The 12th-ranked and 16th-seeded Washington men's tennis team won its opening round match with a 4-0 victory over American in the first round of the 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship on Saturday morning at the SDSU Courts. It was the sixth time in seven seasons that Washington has won its first round NCAA match.

The Huskies received victories from their ranked doubles team and both ranked singles players in improving to 17-5. American, which was making their second consecutive appearance in the championship finished the season at 15-4.

Washington's number three doubles team of Christoph Palmanshofer and Pete Scharler posted an 8-1 victory and the Huskies top duo of Ari Strasberg and Alex Vlaski, ranked 37th in the nation, clinched the point with an 8-3 win.

The Huskies won three straight-set singles matches to clinch the 4-0 victory. The Huskies pushed the lead to 2-0 when 28th-ranked Matt Hanlin recorded a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Guilluame Tarralle at number two. Washington `s Palmanshofer was a 6-0, 6-3 winner against Juancarlo Vazques at number four. Alex Vlaski, ranked 10th in the nation, recorded a 7-5, 6-1 decision at number one to provide the final margin of victory.

Final Score: (12) Washington 4, American 0

Start Time: 9:09 a.m. PDT Temperature: 62 degrees Length of Match: 2:17 Weather: Sunny and clear; Expected high 74 degrees

DOUBLES WASHINGTON      AMERICAN        SCORE
        No. 1   (37) Ari Strasberg/Alex Vlaski  Tushar Garg/Andreas Kulcsar     UW: 8-3
        No. 2   Matt Hanlin/Dillon Ruby Kyle Bailey/Jonah Fliegelman    DNF (UW led 5-3)
        No. 3   Christoph Palmanshofer/Pete Scharler    Ruben Rivero/Juan Jaysingh      UW: 8-1
Order of Finish:  3, 1


        SINGLES WASHINGTON      AMERICAN        SCORE
        No. 1   (10) Alex Vlaski        Tushar Garg     UW: 7-5, 6-1
        No. 2   (28) Matt Hanlin        Guilluame Tarralle      UW: 6-2, 6-1
        No. 3   Fred Sundsten   Kyle Bailey     DNF (AU led 6-4, 4-5)
        No. 4   Christoph Palmanshofer  Juancarlo Vazquez       UW: 6-0, 6-3
        No. 5   Dillon Ruby     Juan Jaysingh   DNF (UW led 7-6 (3), 4-3
        No. 6   Pete Scharler   Jonah Fliegelman        DNF (UW led 6-3, 3-5)
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 1
Number to the left of player name indicates current national ranking.