For many, Fall Break was a weekend of rest and relaxation. But for some, it was bittersweet-scattered with spurts of frustration.
Last Thursday, members of the men's tennis team began play at the ITA All-American Tournament, hosted by the University of Texas.
Duke's Dmitry Muzyka, the nation's 23rd-ranked singles player, was defeated by 13th ranked Paul Goldstein of Stanford in his opening match in the main draw.
In the consolation bracket, Muzyka defeated 26th ranked Jason Appel of Florida in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. He then eased to a 6-3, 6-2 win over 20th-ranked B.J. Stearns of Texas, advancing to the semifinals.
In the semifinals, Muzyka faced 24th-ranked Oliver Mayo of Virginia Tech. Muzyka emerged with a tough 7-5, 7-6 victory, taking the second set in a tiebreaker.
The sole singles competitor in the tournament, Muzyka also belongs to the nation's 8th-ranked doubles team, teaming with senior, Sven Koehler.
The All-American Tournament invites only the top 32 singles players in the nation and the top 16 doubles teams. However, some individuals make it into the tournament through qualifying rounds.
The doubles team of Muzyka/Koehler started out ready to conquer and did just that, upsetting the first-ranked tandem of Ashley Fisher and Jason Weir-Smith of Texas Christian in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. The win advanced the Duke duo to the semifinals to face unranked Anthony DeLuise and Fredrik Niemeyer of Middle Tennessee State on Saturday.
The Blue Devil tandem continued their streak, winning their match in the semifinals, and advanced to the finals.
Once in the final of the ITA All-American Tournament, however, Duke's doubles team defaulted and gave the doubles title to third-ranked Troy Budgen and Brad Sceney of Pepperdine. The default was spurned by injuries suffered by Koehler in an automobile accident, rendering him unable to play in the finals.
Despite the unfortunate retirement, the Blue Devils were pleased with their performance. They will regroup and play in their next tournament, the South Carolina Invitational, on October 25-27 in Columbia, S.C.
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