University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Southern Intercollegiate Championships
Dromsky, Smelyanski Win SIC Doubles Title
September 15, 2014 | Men's Tennis
ATHENS, Ga. -- Tennessee senior Andrew Dromsky and freshman Igor Smelyanski wrapped up their first tournament together with a doubles championship Monday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
Dromsky and Smelyanski fought off match points in the final set tiebreaker to beat Georgia Tech's Christopher Eubanks and Nathan Rakitt 6-3, 4-6, [15-13] and win the doubles title at the Southern Intercollegiate Championships.
In the Vols' fall season opener, Dromsky and Smelyanski won five matches over the four-day tournament, including the final two rounds Monday. They beat Vanderbilt's Baker Newman and Ryan Smith 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals.
"That was a great feeling, to come out and win that title," said Dromsky, a native of Martinez, Ga. "We're expecting to do big things together in doubles this year. To get a title in our first tournament was huge for us."
In the finals, Dromsky and Smelyanski won the first set but had their service game broken at 4-5 in the second set to force a third set super tiebreaker to decide the tournament.
Eubanks had championship point on his racquet for Georgia Tech, serving for the title up 9-7. Smelyanski, playing the deuce court, ripped a big return to keep the Vols alive. Dromsky served to even the tiebreaker at 9-9.
A few minutes later, the Vols wrapped up the tiebreaker and the tournament 15-13. It was the first career individual title for Dromsky and Smelyanski.
"We played well together and picked up each other up," Smelyanski said. "The most important thing in doubles is to fight together on every point. That's the reason we won."
The championship marked the first division I doubles title for the Vols at the prestigious Southern Intercollegiates since All-Americans Ben Rogers and Ockie Oosthuizen in 2004. Previous Tennessee winners also include: Mel Purcell/Rodney Harmon (1979), Byron Talbot/Shelby Cannon (1985) and Dan Dewandaka/Martijn Magendans (1994).
The weekend marked a return to the competition court for both Dromsky and Smelyanski. Dromsky broke his finger during the summer and missed the ITA summer circuit, and Smelyanski had not played a tournament in more than six months.
"It feels good to be back out playing," Dromsky said. "I've been playing really good doubles. My singles isn't where I want to be yet, but it's good to be back out there swinging a forehand."
Dromsky, Smelyanski and the rest of the Vols are back in competition this weekend for the SEC Fall Classic in Gainesville, Fla.
