Hijikata Wins ITF Fayetteville Futures Title, Cernoch Fourth At Gamecock Invitational

Monday, September 16

Fayetteville, Ark.

All Day

North Carolina

Fayetteville Futures

Assistant Coach Tripp Phillips & Rinky Hijikata

Hijikata Wins ITF Fayetteville Futures Title, Cernoch Fourth At Gamecock Invitational

September 22, 2019 | Men's Tennis

University of North Carolina freshman men's tennis player Rinky Hijikata won his first ITF Pro Circuit singles title when he beat Nick Chappell in Sunday's Fayetteville Futures final in Fayetteville, Ark.

Meanwhile, Tar Heel Brian Cernoch took fourth place at the Gamecock Fall Invitational in Columbia, S.C., in what was a strong opening weekend for Carolina to the fall season.

Freshman Rinky Hijikata d. Nick Chappell 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 to win the ITF Fayetteville Futures title pic.twitter.com/cVmf7SKL8k
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) September 22, 2019

Cernoch, seeded fourth in his flight, lost to third-seeded Filip Malbasic of Arizona 6-3, 6-1 on Sunday in the third-place match in Columbia.

In other Sunday action, Nick Lagaev of Arizona defeated Simon Soendergaard 7-5, 5-7, 6-2.

2019 Gamecock Fall Invitational Results
Singles White Bracket
#4 Brian Cernoch def. Matthew Thomson 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
#4 Brian Cernoch def. Benjamin Hannestad (Miami) 7-6 (0), 6-1
#2 Daniel Rodriguez (South Carolina) def. #4 Brian Cernoch 7-6 (6), 6-2
#3 Filip Malbasic (Arizona) def. #4 Brian Cernoch 6-3, 6-1

Singles Black Bracket
#4 Josh Peck def. Cleeve Harper (Texas) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
#5 Zdenek Derkas (Fresno State) def. #4 Josh Peck 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (retired)
Francisco Bastias (Miami) def. #4 Josh Peck W.O.
Alejandro Requant-Bicardi (Arizona) def. Josh Peck W.O.

Singles Garnet Bracket
Tyler Stice (Auburn) def. Mac Kiger 6-3, 7-5
Jonas Ziverts (Arizona) def. Mac Kiger 6-2, 6-3
Simon Soendergaard (UNC) def. Mac Kiger W.O.
Jordi Redelijk (SMU) def. Mac Kiger W.O.

#2 Carles Sarrio Tamarit def. Simon Soendergaard 6-4, 6-2
Luis Erlenbusch (Tulane) def. Simon Soendergaard, 6-3, 6-4
Simon Soendergaard def. Mac Kiger W.O.
Nick Lagaev (Arizona) def. Simon Soendergaard 7-5, 5-7, 6-2

Doubles White Bracket
Brian Cernoch & Josh Peck (UNC) def. Nicaise Muamba & Josh Wilson (Liberty) 8-4
Andrew Rogers & Adam Walton (Tennessee) def. Brian Cernoch & Josh Peck (UNC) 8-4
Thomas Brown & Beau Pelletier (South Carolina) def. Brian Cernoch & Josh Peck (UNC) W.O.

Doubles Black Bracket
Angus Bradshaw & Zdenek Derkas (Fresno State) def. Mac Kiger & Simon Soendergaard W.O.
Siddhant Banthia & Matthew Thomson (Wake Forest) def. Mac Kiger & Simon Soendergaard W.O.
Jeremy Gschwendtner & Edson Ortiz (Alabama) def. Mac Kiger & Simon Soendergaard W.O.