Men's Tennis | September 14

RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's tennis team opened their fall season hosting the River Forest Collegiate Tennis Invitational this weekend. Iker Gaztambide Arrastia (Pamplona, Spain) claimed the #1 singles championship on Saturday. The weekend was also highlighted by a #2 doubles championship from Saul Berdullas (Santiago de Compostela, Spain) and Sam Klein (Elm Grove, Wis.) and a #3 doubles championship from newcomers Gus Howard (Bath, England) and Chao Bu Suo Nan (Taiwan).
 
"As hosts of the annual River Forest Tennis Invitational, we want to thank Huskie alumni John Griffin for organizing and directing a terrific event," NIU head coach René Vidal said.
 
The Huskies competed against six other universities across Friday and Saturday.

"From a performance standpoint, top-flight champion Iker Arrastia set the standard in singles by playing smart, aggressive tennis." Vidal said. "In doubles, Saul Berdullas and Sam Klein volleyed their way to the flight two championship."
 
At #1 singles Arrastia took down two opponents on Friday and claimed the championship with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over DePaul's Matteo Iaquinto on Saturday.
 
Berdullas earned third place in #2 singles with a 6-7, 6-1 (5) victory against Western Michigan's Alex Antonopoulos.
 
Iker Dellien Velasco (Trinidad, Bolivia/UAB) earned second place in his first competition with the Huskies, playing at #5 singles and winning a pair of matches before falling to DePaul's Andy Hadziabdic, 7-5, 7-5, in the final.
 
Berdullas and Klein won 6-4 on Saturday against UIC's Simon Knezevic and Elliott Dam to claim the #2 doubles championship. Howard and Nan also won a doubles championship with a 6-2 victory at #3 doubles against Hugh Perrill and TJ Ryerson of Marquette.

"As a team at the beginning of the season, we are ahead of the game," Vidal said. "We'll keep working hard every day to get better individually and collectively."
 
The Huskies will be back in action next weekend from Friday, Sept. 20 through Sunday, Sept. 22 at the Toledo Invitational.
 
-- NIU --