Duke Gets Four Singles Matches in Before Rain Hits

ATHENS, Ga. - The Duke men's tennis team opened play at the Southern Intercollegiate Championships in Athens, Ga. on Friday with rain forcing action indoors and delaying most of the scheduled matches until Saturday.

The Blue Devils had four players get singles matches in on the opening day with three earning victories. Two of the three will face top five opponents in their next matches on Saturday.

Two Duke players won in straight sets in the Division I singles bracket to open the season. No. 29 Reid Carleton downed Ricky Doverspike of Alabama 6-2, 6-4 in the second round. Sophomore Torsten Wietoska defeated Mike Anders of Charlotte, 7-5, 6-2. He will face No. 5 Guillermo Gomez of Georgia Tech in the next round.

Freshman Henrique Cunha earned a three-set win in his collegiate debut. The freshman from Jau, Brazil, defeated Alabama Michael Davis 4-6, 6-0, 6-4. Cunha will draw a tough test in his second match as he will face the No. 2 player in the country, John Patrick Smith of Tennessee in the round of 32.

The only loss of the day in singles for Duke was David Lue in the Division II singles bracket. Lue fell to Georgia State's Henry Mangin in two sets 7-6 (9), 6-4.

Play will continue Saturday morning at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on the campus of the University of Georgia.