Singles Semifinal Ahead for Cukierman At Oracle ITA Fall Championships

SURPRISE, ARIZ. — USC sophomore Daniel Cukierman is slated for semifinal action in Surprise, Ariz., after another winning day on the singles courts at the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships.

Daniel Cukierman followed up a swift Round of 16 victory with a gutsy comeback effort in the quarterfinals to score his spot in the singles semifinals. In the Round of 16, #31 Cukierman dispatched Ohio State's #58 Kyle Seelig 6-3, 6-2 to move on for more Friday competition. The quarterfinals brought up a bout with South Carolina's #27 Paul Jubb. The higher-ranked Jubb snagged the first set, only to see Cukierman force the issue by nabbing the second in a tiebreaker. The Trojan would hold his ground in the third, pressing on to a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 comeback that sends Cukierman into the semis. There, he'll have a rematch against UC Santa Barbara's #32 Nicolas Moreno de Alboran. The pair faced off two months ago in the quarterfinals of the Oracle ITA Masters, with the Gaucho winning a three-setter in that meeting.

Also engaged in singles action today was senior Tanner Smith, who was in the consolation Round of 16 against Florida's Johannes Ingildsen. Smith would fall 6-4, 6-2 to wrap his singles run at the event.

Cukierman and Smith also teamed up for more doubles play today. Ranked #40 in the nation, the Trojan duo was up against a pair from Old Dominion in the quarterfinals this evening, going down to the wire before falling in a 10-point tiebreaker for a 6-7 (4), 7-5, 1-0 (10-2) loss that ends their run in the doubles draw at the event.

USC results and schedule are listed below. For complete draws and results, visit https://www.itatennis.com/ITA/Events/Oracle_ITA_National_Fall_Championships.aspx

2018 ORACLE ITA NATIONAL FALL CHAMPIONSHIPS (Surprise, Ariz.)

SINGLES
Round of 64 - Nov. 7
#47 Harrison Scott (TEX) def. [4] #4 Brandon Holt (USC) - 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
[6] #31 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. Joshua Peck (UNC) - 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
#81 Laurens Verboven (USC) def. #91 Bar Botzer (WFU) - 6-7 (0), 6-3, 6-2
#104 Logan Smith (USC) def. #123 Bo Boyden (UNC) - 6-3, 6-4
[2] #54 Christian Sigsgaard (TEX) def. Tanner Smith (USC) - 6-1, 6-3

Round of 32 - Nov. 8
[6] #31 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. #92 Bojan Jankulovski (MIAMI) - 6-2, 6-1
#33 Johannes Schretter (BAY) def. #81 Laurens Verboven (USC) - 6-4, 6-1
#117 Jason Kros (VT) def. #104 Logan Smith (USC) - 6-4, 1-6, 6-0

Round of 16 - Nov. 9
[6] #31 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. #58 Kyle Seelig (OHST) - 6-3, 6-2

Quarterfinals - Nov. 9
[6] #31 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. #27 Paul Jubb (SC) - 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2

Semifinals - Nov. 10
[6] #31 Daniel Cukierman (USC) vs. #32 Nicolas Moreno de Alboran (UCSB)

CONSOLATION SINGLES
Round of 32 - Nov. 8
Tanner Smith (USC) def. Yuta Kikuchi (CAL) - 6-3, 6-4

Round of 16 - Nov. 9
Johannes Ingildsen (FLA) def. Tanner Smith (USC) - 6-4, 6-2

DOUBLES
Round of 32 - Nov. 7
#40 Daniel Cukierman / Tanner Smith (USC) def. #49 Dennis/Jubb (South Carolina) - 6-4, 6-4

Round of 16 - Nov. 8
#40 Daniel Cukierman / Tanner Smith (USC) def. Gillespie/Thorold (Drake) - 6-4, 6-4

Quarterfinals - Nov. 9
Kihametovic/Musitelli (ODU) def. #40 Daniel Cukierman / Tanner Smith (USC) - 6-7 (4), 7-5, 1-0 (10-2)

Players Mentioned

Daniel Cukierman

Brandon Holt

Logan Smith

Tanner Smith

Laurens Verboven