University of North Carolina Athletics
Luchici Triumphs In Three-Setter At National Indoors
November 3, 2005 | Men's Tennis
Nov. 3, 2005
COLUMBUS, OHIO - North Carolina senior Raian Luchici and Brad Pomeroy won their Round of 16 doubles match Thursday in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Indoor Championships at the Racquet Club of Columbus. Meanwhile, Luchici staged a rally from a set down to win in a tiebreaker and go on to the Round of 16 in singles.
Luchici, ranked at No. 27, outlasted the University of Washington's No. 23-rated Alex Slovic 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 with Luchici snatching the tiebreaker 7-4 in the ultimate set. Slovic and Luchici had played each other in junior tennis ranks as both hail from Eastern European countries. Luchici is from Timisoara, Romania and Pancevo, Yugoslavia is the hometown to Slovic.
Luchici now finds himself in the round of 16 where he will face the highest remaining seed in the tournament draw, No. 2 John Isner of the Georgia Bulldogs. Isner defeated Pepperdine's Pedro Rico 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 in the Round of 32.
Luchici is one of three ACC players in the Round of 16 which also includes Duke's Ludovic Walter and Wake Forest's Todd Paul. In doubles, Pomeroy and Luchici are the only remaining ACC duo as the tournament heads to the quarterfinals.
In the doubles draw, Luchici and Pomeroy defeated Baylor's Jon Reckewey and Matija Zgaga 8-5 in their first round match Thursday morning. The Tar Heel duo is currently ranked No. 51 in the nation in the preseason ITA rankings but their outstanding play this fall has earned them the No. 3 seed in this tournament.
Luchici and Pomeroy will play Strahinka Bobusic and Colin Purcell of Georgia, the nation's No. 24 ranked team, in Friday's second round match. The Georgia duo defeated K.C. Corkery and James Pade, the No. 13 ranked team, 8-5 in the first round on Thursday.
Players Mentioned
