Mississippi Knocks Off Duke, 4-2, At NCAA Men's Tennis Championships
Blue Devils end the season at 22-6
Jonathan Stokke won at number five singles against Mississippi

Jonathan Stokke won at number five singles against Mississippi

May 17, 2003

Eighth-ranked and ninth-seeded Mississippi won four straight singles matches en route to defeating ninth-ranked and eighth-seeded Duke, 4-2, on Saturday evening in the Round of 16 at the NCAA Men's Tennis Championships in Athens, Ga.

Duke ends the season at 22-6 while Ole Miss (21-4) advances to play the winner of top-ranked Illinois and Washington in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

Duke claimed the doubles point with wins at the numbers one and three slots. The nationally third-ranked tandem of Phillip King and Michael Yani knocked off the 14th-ranked duo of Alex Hartman and Claes Lindholm, 8-5, while Jonathan Stokke and Stephen Amritraj downed Patrick Chucri and Karim Alayli, 8-3.

Stokke then gave Duke a 2-0 lead with a straight set win over Patrick Chucri at number five singles. Ole Miss responded with Alayli's 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Peter Shults at number six for the Rebels' first point of the match. Catalin Gard, ranked 23rd nationally, then downed 35th-ranked Yani in three sets to even the match at 2-2.

The Rebels earned their third straight decision to go ahead 3-2 when 30th-ranked Paul Ciorascu defeated 55th-ranked Ludovic Walter in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Hartman, ranked seventh in the country, then rallied from a 5-4 deficit in the third set to upend 25th-ranked King, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, and clinch the match for Ole Miss.

Mississippi 4, Duke 3
DOUBLES
1. #3 Phillip King & Michael Yani (Duke) def. #14 Alex Hartman & Claes Lindholm, 8-5
2. #39 Ludovic Walter & Jason Zimmermann (Duke) vs. Catalin Gard & Paul Ciorascu, DNF
3. Stephen Amritraj & Jonathan Stokke (Duke) def. Patrick Chucri & Karim Alayli, 8-3

SINGLES
1. #7 Alex Hartman (Mississippi) def. #25 Phillip King 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
2. #23 Catalin Gard (Mississippi) def. #35 Michael Yani, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
3. #30 Paul Ciorascu (Mississippi) def. #55 Ludovic Walter, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
4. Jason Zimmermann (Duke) vs. Claes Lindholm, DNF
5. Jonathan Stokke (Duke) def. Patrick Chucri, 7-6, 6-3
6. Karim Alayli (Mississippi) def. Peter Shults, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Order of finish: 5, 6, 2, 3, 1