Oct. 21, 2007
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Sophomore Branko Kuzmanovic and junior P.J. Rose competed this weekend at the ITA Midwest Region IV Tournament in Minneapolis, reaching the third round of the doubles draw.
The ITA Midwest Region features a majority of the Big Ten Conference schools as well as programs from Notre Dame, Louisville and Marquette. Over 100 doubles teams and individual competitors were entered into the three-day tournament held at the University of Minnesota.
Kuzmanovic and Rose defeated Butler's Raynauld and Warren in the first round 8-4, and the Louisville duo of Childs and Rotaru 8-6, before falling 8-1 to Iowa's Ritchie and Van Monsjou.
In singles, Kuzmanovic reached the second round after beating Hawkeye Christian Bierich 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. He then lost a close match to top-seeded Steven Moneke of Ohio State, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2.
Purdue men's tennis head coach Tim Madden was pleased with Kuzmanovic's efforts.
"Branko played some amazing tennis," said Madden. "Against one of the top players in the nation, he reached four match points but just couldn't get it done. It was a very close and highly competitve match."
Rose lost his first round singles match to Michigan's Scott Bruckmann, 6-4, 6-2.