Box Score | Final Bracket | Championship Central
NORFOLK, Va., April 25, 2021—South Carolina State won the 2021 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) men’s tennis championship on Sunday at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center with a 4-0 win over Norfolk State in a battle of top seeds.
The Bulldogs (7-2) won their 16
th overall title and their 13
th in the last 16 years.
South Carolina State earned the MEAC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Men’s Tennis Championships; the Selection Show will be Monday, May 3 at 6:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.
The Bulldogs got on the board by winning two of the three doubles matches, taking a 1-0 lead in the match after the duos of Marcelo Rodriguez / Elyes Marouani and Diego Arzaluz / Selim Ben Ali won their matches, 6-1 and 6-2, respectively.
Once singles play started, the Bulldogs took advantage in the bottom half of the lineup – with wins coming from their No. 4 and No. 6 players.
At No. 4, Omer Gorgun won 6-0, 6-0 over Ivan Ivars, while Luka Stevanovic defeated Ibrahim Abbas 6-0, 6-1 at No. 6.
At that point, with S.C. State up 3-0, the Bulldogs were ahead in the No. 3 and No. 5 spots.
Ultimately, Marouani – a First Team All-MEAC selection this season, gave the Bulldogs the clincher, taking his match 6-4, 6-1 over Santiago Rendon.
Marouani was named the tournament’s Outstanding Performer.
Hardeep Judge of South Carolina State was named Outstanding Coach.
2021 MEAC Men’s Tennis All-Tournament Team
Outstanding Performer: Elyes Marouani, South Carolina State
Outstanding Coach: Hardeep Judge, South Carolina State
Doubles
1 – Marcelo Rodriguez / Elyes Marouani, South Carolina State
2 – Andres Alcaraz / Santiago Rendon, Norfolk State
3 – Diego Arzaluz / Selim Ben Ali, South Carolina State
Singles
1 – Federico Rebecchini, Norfolk State
2 – Vasil Ivanov, North Carolina A&T State
3 – Elyes Marouani, South Carolina State
4 – Omer Gorgun, South Carolina State
5 – Ignacio Guevel, Norfolk State
6 – Luka Stevanovic, South Carolina State