Notre Dame’s three representatives in the pre-qualifying all fell this past weekend, leaving senior and top-seed Quentin Monaghan as the only remaining contender in the Saint Francis Health System ITA All-American Championships.
Going into the tournament, the Irish had four players competing in the event as singles. However, in the Round of 256 — the first round of prequalifying singles — two of the team’s competitors fell to their opponents. Freshman Alex Lebedev lost in a tight, three-set match to Auburn sophomore Dante Saleh, 6-7(5), 6-2, 7-6(4), while senior Alex Lawson lost to Texas A&M sophomore Jordi Arconada in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
Both players did play in consolation matches following their losses in the Round of 256. In his match against East Tennessee State senior Ricardo Pabon, Lebedev came away with a victory in straight sets by scores of 6-2, 6-4. Lawson also walked away with a victory in his match, defeating Marquette junior Kristiyan Trukov in straight sets as well, 6-0, 6-2.
The Irish did have a competitor advance to the Round of 128, however, as junior Eddy Covalschi defeated TCU freshman Gianni Mancini in dominant fashion, winning in straight sets by scores of 6-1, 6-0. However, in that next round, Covalschi ran into Wake Forest junior Sam Bloom — a former five-star recruit — and fell in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
As a result, Monaghan is the only Irish competitor set to play in the event’s main draw starting Thursday. Currently the nation’s fifth-ranked singles player, Monaghan entered the tournament as the top seed and automatically qualified for the event’s main draw. He is the first Notre Dame player since current Irish head coach Ryan Sachire (’00) to be the top seed at a national collegiate event.
Monaghan is set to take on Auburn junior Marko Krickovic, who is currently the nation’s 76th ranked singles player. Krickovic won three matches to advance to the main draw. First, he defeated Wisconsin-Green Bay senior Leopold Gomez Islinger in straight sets. Then, he won two three-set matches against Ole Miss freshman Filip Kraljevic and Virginia junior Luca Corinteli to advance to the main draw.
Monaghan will battle Krickovic in the first round of the main draw at Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday at 11 a.m.
