Oct. 24, 2004
Akshay Rao reached the quarterfinals of the ITA Regionals in Blacksburg, Va. by winning a thriller in the round of 16. Rao rallied from a set down to defeat the second seeded player in a third set tiebreaker. The junior also advanced to the quarterfinals of the doubles bracket with partner Scott Robbin.
Rao (New Dehli, India), seeded 12th in the tournament, defeated Princeton's Hans Plukas, 7-6, 6-2, to set up a meeting with second seeded Malcolm Scatliffe of Penn State for a spot in the quarters. After dropping the first set, 4-6, Rao showed the form that made him a first team all-ivy selection last season, by taking the next two sets and the match.
Less than an hour later, the junior teamed with classmate and doubles specialist Scott Robbin to defeat a team from Delaware, 8-2. The Lions will face the second seeded team of Puranen/Rod of Virginia Tech for a spot in the semis.
Two other Lions competed today, but were knocked out of the tournament. First-year Jared Drucker (Northridge, Calif.) fell to Martin Wetzel of Harvard, 7-5, 6-1 and Rajeev Emany (Sinking Spring, Pa.) lost to 10th seeded Stephane Rod of Virginia Tech, 6-3, 6-3.
In both the doubles and singles brackets the Ivy League has proven itself a force on the East Coast as it has dominated the tournament. Six of the eight doubles quarterfinalists are from the Ivy League and over half of the individual quaterfinalists are from the Ancient Eight.
