Lankes and Verma Advance to ITA Atlantic Regional Main Draw

Thursday, October 19

Lynchburg, Va.

11:00 AM

University of Delaware

ITA Atlantic Regional

Lankes and Verma Advance to ITA Atlantic Regional Main Draw

10/19/2017 10:13:00 PM | Men's Tennis

By: Delaware Athletics

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Two Blue Hens continued their journey Thursday with two wins apiece to qualify singles main draw at this weekend's ITA Atlantic Regional, hosted by Liberty University at the Cook Tennis Center and Hershey-Esbenshade Tennis Courts.

Top-ranked sophomore Curran Verma (Gaithersburg, Md./Laurel Springs) opened the day with a 6-4, 6-1 decision over Hampton's Fedor Shirin before following with a 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory against La Salle's Connor Merrill. Verma will face VCU's Javier Amatequi at 12:45 p.m. Friday.

Ranked fourth, sophomore Laurenz Lankes (Cologne, Germany) topped Liberty's Maxim Borcuit, 6-2, 6-4, before posting a 7-5, 6-3 win over George Mason's Carter Bradford. Lankes will take on George Washington's Jakub Behun at 11 a.m. Friday.

Freshman Justice Jones (Laurel, Md./JTCC Academy) kicks off singles play of his own Friday with an 11 a.m. match versus Virginia Tech's George Cartledge while graduate student Dustin Britton (North Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) faces Temple's Juan Araoz at 11:30 a.m.

In doubles action, Britton pairs with Verma for a 9 a.m. match Friday against Saint Joseph's Andre Fick and Luis Janko. Jones and Lankes take on Virginia Tech's Carlo Donato and Alexandre Ribeiro at 10 a.m.

POST-MATCH QUOTES

Pablo Montana

“Today was a great day as we had some very good regional wins to help us qualify into the main draw. Both Laurenz and Curran played at a high level and showed great fight as they were both down in the first set of the final round of qualities. They won two very good matches today to put them in the main draw. It's exciting to have all four of our guys in the main draw.”

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

· October 19-23 – ITA Atlantic Regional – Lynchburg, Va.

· Fall season complete.

MEDIA CONTACT: Maggie Hayon, Assistant Athletics Communications Director | mhayon@udel.edu | O: 302-831-6389 | C: 302-379-9182