Printer-Friendly Format   E-mail this article     Sophomore Jean-Yves Aubone shown during the team competition, advanced to the second round of the individual tournament on Thursday.
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Seminoles Jean-Yves Aubone escapes upset with 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 victory on a windy day in Tulsa, Okla.

May 21, 2008

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TULSA, Okla.- On a day when the wind wreaked havoc on the players' serves, Florida State sophomore Jean-Yves Aubone survived a first-round scare from Mississippi State's Phillipe Frayssinoux on Wednesday, May 21, to advance to the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tennis Championships in Tulsa, Okla.

"It was pretty tough conditions out there today," FSU head coach Dwayne Hultquist said.  "It was very windy and he [Aubone] was really tough mentally and overcame some tough breaks to win the match." 

"The first round of a tournament is always hard and it was weird playing without the team around me," Aubone said.  "It feels good to get this first win out of the way and now I can focus on the rest of the tournament."

The 13^th-ranked Aubone needed three sets to dispatch of No. 49 Frayssinoux 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.  In the first set, both players had difficulty holding their serve.  Aubone went up a break early, but Frayssinoux came back to knot the set at 2-2.  However, the All-American from Miami, Fla. stormed back to win four of the next five games to take the first set 6-3.

"The first set took a very long time," Hultquist said.  "It was back-and-forth with a lot of long games and I was really proud of the way he overcame it all."

In the second set, Aubone had three break points at 4-3, but Frayssinoux rallied to win the next six games to tie the set at 4-4.  Both players traded breaks and Frayssinoux was able to go up 6-5 after a second break and held on the take the second set 7-5.

"I thought Frayssinoux played really well," Hultquist said.  "He changed it up and played aggressively to take the set."

The Seminole sophomore put the pressure on early in the third set by breaking Frayssinoux three consecutive times to take a 5-1 lead and cruised to a 6-3, match-clinching win.  Aubone will play Ohio State's 16^th-ranked Brian Koniecko who defeated Mississppi's Robbye Poole in three sets 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 on Thursday morning.

"I thought he played a little bit more aggressive in the third set," Hultquist said.  "His serving percentage went up in the third set and that was probably the key to getting off to a good start there."

"I played better on his service games a lot of the times," Aubone said.  "I was lucky to get the three breaks in a row in the third and get out with a win."

Aubone and freshman Clint Bowles will also begin doubles competition tomorrow afternoon against Rice's Ralph Knupfer and Christoph Muller.  For live scoring and streaming video of all singles and doubles matches visit http://tulsahurricane.cstv.com/livestats/m-tennis/TulsaTennis.html.

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