Vanderbilt Men’s Tennis’ season concluded at the ITA South Sectional Championship in Tallahassee from Nov. 7-10. The only Commodores to qualify for the tournament were sophomores Danil Panarin and Hugo Coquelin. Panarin competed for the first time since Sept. 25, hoping to avenge his early exit from the ITA All-American Championship. Coquelin had a solid showing at the ITA Regional Championship — making it to the singles quarterfinal round — and planned to replicate his success. Both players’ performances left much to be desired for men’s tennis fans.
Panarin was ranked No. 22 at the beginning of the season. However, the Moscow native found himself down early against Florida State’s Alex Bulte despite his high ranking, surrendering the first set 4-6. Paranin then rallied to snag the second set from Bulte in a hard-fought 7-5 set. However, the second set drained him, and he was nearly swept by Bulte in the third set 1-6. The performance eliminated him from the tournament, putting all of the Commodores’ NCAA Tournament appearance hopes on Coquelin.
Coquelin initially found success on the courts against the University of Georgia’s Niels Ratiu. He won the first set in arduous fashion: 7-6 (2). Ratiu handily took the second set 1-6, but Coquelin outlasted the Bulldog to take the third set 6-3 and advance to the Round of 16. In the Round of 16, the University of Kentucky’s Jack Loutit swept Coquelin in straight sets. Coquelin’s 0-6, 0-6 cut his tournament and Commodores’ postseason short.
The Commodores were rated by the ITA as the No. 27 team in the nation entering the fall season. They seemed poised to play up to that ranking, as Michael Ross and Nathan Cox took home a finals title in the SEC challenger. However, that showing was the peak of the team’s season, as losses at the All-American Tournament and the ITA Regional Championship fizzled the Commodores’ postseason hopes. While the fall season is over, the Black and Gold will hit the courts again in the spring. That season’s schedule is yet to be announced.
