For the second consecutive weekend, an A&M men’s doubles team reached the semifinals of an event. This weekend it was the tandem of junior Shane Vinsant and freshman A.J. Catanzariti, who won three consecutive matches in the main draw at the SEC Fall Classic in Gainesville, Florida.
The duo knocked off teams from Vanderbilt, Auburn and Florida in pro set matches with scores of 8-4, 8-5 and 8-2, respectively. Vinsant and Catanzariti fell victim however to the No. 4 seed and ITA preseason-ranked Florida team of Gordon Watson and Diego Hidalgo by a score of 8-2. Watson and Hidalgo would go on to claim the doubles championship.
A&M’s Catanzariti, a freshman from College Park, Maryland, also won his opening-round singles match in a third-set super tiebreaker against the University of Tennessee’s Luis Valero by a score of 6-7 (5), 6-3 (3). Catanzariti would fall in the second round to William Kallberg of Ole Miss 6-4, 6-2.
Despite the second-round loss, A&M head coach Steve Denton said he was thrilled with Catanzariti’s Aggie debut.
“The highlight of the day was seeing AJ Catanzariti play so well,” Denton said. “AJ showed a lot of fight in his comeback win. Especially after he served for the first set and lost a very tough first set tiebreaker. The last 30 minutes of his match was at a very high level. What a great way to start his college career.”
Catanzariti’s doubles partner, Shane Vinsant, who was the No. 2 seed in the main singles draw, won his opening round match as well with a 6-1, 6-1 handling of Mississippi State’s Robin Haden before losing in second-round action to South Carolina’s Andrew Schafer, 7-6, 6-4.
Elliot Orkin, ITA No. 68 and tournament No. 8 seed from the University of Florida, won the singles championship by defeating fellow Gator teammate Diego Hidalgo 6-3, 7-6 (7).
Texas A&M concluded the tournament 3-6 in main draw singles competition while posting a 4-3 record in main draw doubles competition.
The Aggies will hit the court this weekend in Tulsa for the ITA All-America Pre-Qualifying Event.