Hietaranta Falls in Semis at Big Ten Individual Championships

Ann Arbor, Mich. – Roni Hietaranta continued his dominant fall season at the Big Ten Individual Championships, as he advanced to the semifinals for singles play in the main draw. In the tournament, the Huskers gathered 11 singles wins as a team along with two doubles victories.

Hietaranta received a bye to begin the tournament, advancing to the Round of 32. The Lappeenranta, Finland native bested Indiana’s Luc Boulier in dominant fashion on Friday, 6-1, 6-0, earning a spot in the next round. In the Round of 16, Hietaranta knocked off Wisconsin’s Jared Pratt in a thrilling three-set victory, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 7-5. The sophomore also bested Northwestern’s Natan Spear, 6-4, 6-2 to grab a spot in the semifinals. He has now won seven matches on the fall campaign and has been victorious in six of his last eight.

Lars Johann and Rudi Christiansen fought hard in three-set affairs, but fell in the Round of 64. Both won the first set in their respective matches before dropping the final two. However, Johann bounced back on Saturday with a pair of victories in consolation play, winning all four sets in those matches. The Saarbruecken, Germany native continued his hot streak with a win over Indiana’s Andrew Meier, 6-3, 6-0. He finished the tournament with a career-high three singles wins.

Shunya Maruyama knocked off Indiana’s Luke Vukovic, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, to begin his tournament run off a bye. The Nagano, Japan native fell in the Round of 16 in straight sets, ending his tournament run.

On Friday, William Gleason gathered his first singles win of the fall in the opening round as he was victorious against Purdue’s Hassan Boroudi, 6-4, 7-5. In his second match of the day, the Lincoln native fell to Sebastian Vile in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1. Gleason competed on Saturday against Michigan State’s Max Sheldon, losing in consecutive sets, 6-4, 7-6 (6). He rebounded on the final day of play to grab a win, his second of the tournament.

In doubles play, Johann and Gleason took their first match against Northwestern’s Max Bengtsson and Saiprakash Goli, 8-6. With the win, the duo advanced into the Round of 32 before falling 8-4 to Illinois’ Mathis Debru and Lucas Horve. Hietaranta and Maruyama, despite their success in single’s action, dropped their lone contest to Robin Parts and Vile of Wisconsin, 8-5.

The Huskers will be back in action at the FGCU Bonita Bay Classic held in Fort Meyers, Fla., from Nov. 11-13.

Stay up to date with the action by following the Nebraska men’s tennis Twitter and Instagram accounts, @huskermtennis.

Main Draw:

Singles:

Round of 64:

William Gleason (Nebraska) def. Hassan Boroudi (Purdue) 6-4, 7-5

Nic Mesiter (Illinois) def. Lars Johann (Nebraska) 5-7, 6-4, 6-3

Max Bengtsson (Northwestern) def. Rudi Christiansen (Nebraska) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

Round of 32:

Shunya Maruyama (Nebraska) def. Luka Vukovic (Indiana) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1

Roni Hietaranta (Nebraska) def. Luc Boulier (Indiana) 6-1, 6-0

Sebastian Vile (Wisconsin) def. William Gleason (Nebraska) 6-3, 6-1

Round of 16:

Roni Hietaranta (Nebraska) def. Jared Pratt (Wisconsin) 7-6 (4), 3-6, 7-5

Ivan Yatsuk (Northwestern) def. Shunya Maruyama (Nebraska) 6-2, 6-1

Quarterfinals:

Roni Hietaranta (Nebraska) def. Natan Spear (Northwestern) 6-4, 6-2

Semifinals:

Sebastian Vile (Wisconsn) def. Roni Hietaranta (Nebraska) 6-4, 6-1

Doubles:

Round of 64:

William Gleason/Lars Johann (Nebraska) def. Max Bengtsson/Saiprakash Goli (Northwestern) 8-6

Robin Parts/Sebastian Vile (Wisconsin) def. Shunya Maruyama/Roni Hietaranta (Nebraska) 8-5

Daniel Labrador/Michal Wozniak (Purdue) def. Rudi Christiansen/Reece Yakubov (Nebraska) 8-4

Round of 32:

Mathis Debru/Lucas Horve (Illinois) def. William Gleason/Lars Johann (Nebraska) 8-4

Consolation:

Singles:

Lars Johann (Nebraska) def. Luc Boulier (Indiana) 3-6, 6-0, [10-5]

Lars Johann (Nebraska) def. Ali-Khan Mujtaba (Purdue) 6-2, 6-4

Lars Johann (Nebraska) def. Andrew Meier (Indiana) 6-3, 6-0

Daniel Labrador (Purdue) def. Lars Johann (Nebraska) 6-4, 4-6, [10-4]

Other:

Rudi Christiansen (Nebraska) def. Ali-Khan Mujtaba (Purdue) 6-3, 6-4

William Gleason (Nebraska) def. Jagger Saylor (Indiana) 4-1, retired

Jagger Saylor (Indiana) def. Rudi Christiansen (Nebraska) 6-3, 6-4

Max Sheldon (Michigan State) def. William Gleason (Nebraska) 6-4, 7-6 (6)

Mihailo Popovich (Wisconsin) def. Shunya Maruyama (Nebraska) 6-4, 6-1

Doubles:

Shunya Maruyama/Roni Hietaranta (Nebraska) def. Nishanth Basavareddy/Luc Boulier (Indiana) 8-6

Hassan Boroudi/Ali-Khan Mujtaba (Purdue) def. Rudi Christiansen/Reece Yakubov (Nebraska) 8-4