Oct. 18, 2012

AUBURN, Ala. – The Ole Miss men’s tennis team had a successful start to the USTA/ITA Southern Regional Championships Thursday, posting a 5-2 record in singles with four players advancing to the third round.

Nik Scholtz, ranked No. 5 in the nation and seeded No. 1, had a first round bye and then defeated LSU’s Roger Anderson 6-2, 7-6(5).  The 2012 SEC Freshman of the Year trailed in the tiebreaker 5-4, before winning three straight points for his second win of the year.  Scholtz will face Mississippi State newcomer Stefen Vinti in the third round Friday at 8:30 a.m.

Sophomore William Kallberg also had a bye in the first round and then wasted little time dominating Samford’s Garrison Laduca 6-0, 6-0 to reach the third round.   Kallberg will face Harrison Kennedy of LSU Friday at 8:30 a.m.

After a bye, freshman Stefan Lindmark downed Samford’s Zac Dunkle 6-1, 6-1 to move on to a third round meeting against Auburn’s Lukas Ollert at 8:30 a.m.

Senior Adrian Forberg Skogeng cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 second round win over Josh Dogar-Hurd of Troy.  He will face seventh-seeded Chris Simpson of LSU in the third round at 9:30 a.m.

Junior Johan Backstrom won his first round against LSU’s Joe Hill 6-3, 6-1, but then dropped a three-set decision to Tulane’s Idan Mark, the No. 9 seed.  Backstrom claimed the first set 6-4, but Mark rallied to the next two 6-3, 6-4, respectively.

Redshirt freshman Zach Wilder lost his second round match to the No. 5 seed, Malte Stropp of Mississippi State, 6-2, 6-0.

Play continues Friday with singles and doubles.  Scholtz and senior Jonas Lutjen are the top seed in the doubles.

Follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMTennis and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OleMissMTennis.

USTA/ITA Southern Regional
Singles
First round – Johan Backstrom (OM) def. Joe Hill (LSU) 6-3, 6-1.  Second round – Nik Scholtz (OM) def. Roger Anderson (LSU) 6-2, 7-6(5); William Kallberg (OM) def. Garrison Laduca (SAM) 6-0, 6-0; Stefan Lindmark (OM) def. Zac Dunkle (SAM) 6-1, 6-1; Adrian Forberg Skogeng (OM) def. Josh Dogar-Hurd (TROY) 6-1, 6-0; Malte Stropp (MSU) def. Zach Wilder (OM) 6-2, 6-0; Idan Mark (TUL) def. Backstrom (OM) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.