Vargas, Ivanov Seeded in 2013 USTA/ITA Championships

PENSACOLA, Fla. – University of West Alabama men’s tennis players Nestor Vargas and Anton Ivanov are the No. 4 and No. 8 singles seeds, respectively, in the 2013 USTA/ITA South Region Championships that begin Friday at the Ralph ‘Skeeter’ Carson Tennis Complex.

The USTA/ITA Regional Championships feature some of the top collegiate players in the nation. Over 8,000 student-athletes from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, Junior and Community Colleges compete at one of the 87 USTA/ITA Regional Championships held across the country.

Vargas, a senior from Bogota, Columbia, has a first-round bye and will meet the winner of the Gereon Heitmann (VSU) and Jose Soto (UAH) first-round match. Ivanov, a senior from Orel, Russia, awaits the winner of the opening-round match between Romain Nowacyk (PBA) vs. Ismail Lemtouni (SLU).

Vargas was a 2013 All-Gulf South Conference selection after finishing the spring regular season with a 19-2 singles record and a No. 12 ITA singles ranking. Ivanov finished the spring season with a 21-2 record in singles play and a No. 18 ITA ranking in singles.

“This is a great honor for both these young men and for our program,” UWA head tennis coach Glen Fanelli said. “This kind of recognition is not only good for Nestor and Anton, but it is great for our program as we continue to move toward conference, regional and national championships.”

Several other Tigers are playing in the event on both the men and women’s side. Hosted by the University of West Florida, the USTA/ITA Regional Championships runs through Sunday.