Tigers out to defend their title at men’s tennis national championships

The defending national champion Cowley College men's tennis team opened defense of its title on Tuesday at the NJCAA Division I National Championships played in Plano, TX.

After all six singles players and its three doubles teams received byes in Monday's first round, the Tigers came out firing on Tuesday. Cowley got straight-set wins from all six of its singles players and all three doubles teams.

Cowley sophomores Bruno Nhavene and Reiya Komagata are the defending national champions at No. 3 and No. 5 singles and also captured doubles titles as freshmen. No. 6 singles and 3 doubles player Sergio Alejandro Gonzalez is the only other sophomore on the roster.

Tiger freshmen Valentin Greco, Pedro de la Riva, Omar Suarez, and Tadeo Gaggiofatto also played well on Tuesday in their first taste of the national tournament.

Play at the national championships resumes Wednesday morning at 8.

Results:

DOUBLES

*No. 1 – Bruno Nhavene/Reiya Komagata (CC) defeated Gonzalo Cotter/Vicente Faria (Mississippi Gulf Coast) 6-2, 6-1 in the second round.

*No. 2 – Valentin Greco/Pedro de la Riva (CC) defeated Edoardo Brustia/Franco Vedda (Jacksonville) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the second round.

*No. 3 – Omar Suarez/Sergio Alejandro Gonzalez (CC) defeated Aaron Gerald/Martin Puetate (Harford) 6-1, 6-2 in the second round.

SINGLES

*No. 1 – Nhavene (CC) defeated Hod'Abalo Isak Padio (Iowa Central) 6-3, 7-6(2) in the second round.

*No. 2 – Komagata (CC) defeated Charlie Brady (Jones College) 6-2, 6-0 in the second round.

*No. 3 – Suarez (CC) defeated Francisco Miguel (Copiah-Lincoln) 6-0, 6-2 in the second round.

*No. 4 – De la Riva (CC) defeated Jack Morris (Coastal Alabama) 6-0, 6-1 in the second round.

*No. 5 – Tadeo Gaggiofatto (CC) defeated Kyle Goodman (College of Lake County) 6-2, 6-0 in the second round.

*No. 6 – Alejandro Gonzalez (CC) defeated Alex Holder (Jones College) 6-2, 6-2 in the second round.