TULSA, Okla. – Duarte Vale and McClain Kessler opened the first round of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Championship Main Draw in dramatic fashion, upsetting the No. 1 ranked doubles team in the country and propelling the Gators to a perfect first round of doubles.
 
The duo of Vale and Kessler entered the main draw with three wins under their belt after playing in the qualifying round just two days before. The first set didn't go their way but it was tight throughout, falling 7-6. In the second set the two found their rhythm and took the set by the score of 6-3. In the tiebreak the Gators and Demon Deacons went back-and-forth, but it was Vale and Kessler that were able to come out victorious, upsetting the No. 1 seed of Skander Mansouri and Christian Seraphim from Wake Forest.
 
Alfredo Perez and Johannes Ingildsen joined forces once again, entering the main draw as the No. 4 seed. Perez and Ingildsen took on Alexis Galarneau and Michael Ogden of NC State in the first round and made quick work of their opponents with a 6-2, 6-4 victory.
 
The final pairing to play for the Gators in Thursday was Chase Perez-Blanco and Andy Andrade. The duo, like Vale and Kessler, earned their way into the main draw after picking up three wins in qualifying. In the first round of the main draw, Perez-Blanco and Andrade took on Chema Carranza and Josef Dodridge of Wisconsin. Perez-Blanco and Andrade dropped the first set 1-6 but came back to take the second set 6-4. In the tiebreak the pair was locked in, completing the comeback with a 10-3 victory.
 
In singles action Perez struggled in the first set against Kyle Seelig of Ohio State, falling 6-7. The second set was another tight battle but Perez fought back from a 6-5 deficit to take the set 7-6(2) and force a third set. Perez was not going to be denied in the final set, winning 6-3 and advancing to the second round.
 
Ingildsen played his way into the singles main draw after winning three matches in qualifying. In the first round of the main draw Ingildsen played No. 4 William Blumberg of North Carolina but fell in straight sets 6-1, 6-1.
 
Main Draw
Singles
First Round
(5) Perez def. Seelig – 6-7, 7-6(2), 6-3
Ingildsen lost to (4) Blumberg – 6-1, 6-1
 
Doubles
First Round
Perez/Ingildsen def. Galarneau/Ogden – 6-2, 6-4
Andrade/Perez-Blanco def. Carranza/Dodridge – 1-6, 6-4, 10-3
Kessler/Vale def. (1) Mansouri/Seraphim 6-7, 6-3, 10-8
 
Coach Shelton on Day One of the Main Draw
"Our guys competed so hard again today. Alfredo was down a set and was almost done, but he just kept fighting and eventually found his best tennis in the second set tie breaker. He showed a lot of heart. All three doubles teams were very good today. Blanco stepped up Big at the end of their doubles, and McClain and Duarte had a huge win tonight. Really enjoying watching our guys compete"
 
Up Next
The Gators will be back in action on Friday as they try to advance once again in the ITA All-American Championship. There will be one round of singles and one round of doubles played on Friday.

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