University of San Francisco Athletics

TULSA, Okla. – Bernardo Saraiva and Nils Skajaa both won their opening singles match before advancing to the doubles consolation quarterfinals at the ITA All-American Championships, held at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center the first week of October.

Collegiate tennis has four major championships and the ITA All-American Championships rate as the largest individual collegiate tennis tournament of the four.

"It was really great to see our players competing and winning at the highest level of competition," Director of Tennis Peter Bartlett said. "Our players did a great job representing themselves and the University of San Francisco on the national level and we look forward to placing them in these situations more often going forward."

Saraiva, ranked No. 109 in the ITA Preseason Poll, entered the tournament as the sixth Don to grace the ITA Rankings in the past 10 years. The junior from Lisbon, Portugal, dispatched No. 92 Nelson Vick of North Carolina, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, in his opening singles match to start the competition for the Dons.

Skajaa, a sophomore from Odder, Denmark, opened up by defeating UMBC's Justin Carter 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4. Both men fell in the round of 64 of the qualifying singles bracket, but there was more tennis to play on the doubles side.

In the doubles main draw Saraiva and Skajaa were one of 32 teams selected to compete, and now stand as the first USF pair in the modern era to be invited to the main draw competition.

After dropping their opening match to the 16th-ranked team in the country, David O'Hare and Joe Salisbury of Memphis, the duo regrouped to notch a big victory over No. 29 Havid Holiner and Nick Naumann of Texas, 8-3, to advance to the consolation quarterfinals.

Despite an 8-4 loss to San Diego State's Thorsten Bertch and Hunter Nicholas, head coach Pablo Pires de Almeida knows that Saraiva and Skajaa not only learned valuable skills for their own games, but also can translate these experiences into team growth for the Dons.

"I think the guys really learned a lot from the experience and it is very important for them to learn, grow and share that experience with their teammates," he said. "These are the situations that will make us more competitive and will drive the winning mentality on the team."

USF Results
Qualifying Singles
Round of 128 (Sept. 30)
No. 109 Bernardo Saraiva (USF) def. No. 92 Nelson Vick (UNC); 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
Nils Skajaa (USF) def. Justin Carter (UMBC); 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4
Round of 64 (Oct. 1)
(7) No. 55 Alexis Heugas (VCU) def. No. 109 Bernardo Saraiva (USF); 7-5, 6-2
(17) No. 67 Harrison Adams (Texas A&M) def. Nils Skajaa (USF); 6-1, 6-4
 
Main Draw Doubles
Round of 32 (Oct. 3)
No. 18 David O'Hare/Joe Salisbury (Memphis) def. Bernardo Saraiva/Nils Skajaa (USF); 8-4
Consolation – Round of 16 (Oct. 4)
Bernardo Saraiva/Nils Skajaa (USF) def. No. 29 Havid Holiner/Nick Naumann (Texas); 8-3
Consolation – Quarterfinals (Oct. 4)
Thorsten Bertch/Hunter Nicholas (San Diego State) def. Bernardo Saraiva/Nils Skajaa (USF); 8-4