TOPEKA, Kan. -- Tim Hammes became the ITA Central Region Singles Champion after defeating teammate Vasek Schneider 6-2, 6-4 in a battle of Ichabods on Sunday afternoon. Washburn also finished as the runners-up in the doubles side as well.
To begin the day Hammes defeated Tim Fischer of Southern Arkansas in two sets, 6-2 and 6-3 to advance to the finals. Schneider lost his opening set 7-5 to Harding's Cas de Ruiter but rebounded to win 7-6(1) in the second. He carried the momentum into a 6-2 third set victory.
In the finals, Hammes jumped ahead early and worked a 6-2 victory in the first set. The second began the same way, with Hammes in front 3-0 but Schneider was able to win three of the next four games to make it 4-3. The next two games were traded before Hammes finished off the Championship dual with his sixth game win to end it at 6-4.
With the win, Hammes clinches a spot in the ITA Cup in Rome, Ga. From October 10-13. Hammes becomes the fourth overall and second straight Ichabod to win the Central Region Singles Championship after Sebastian Pjontek won the title in 2023.
Doubles play began later in the day with Schneider and Tommy Cecchetti working a swift semifinals victory over a duo from Harding, 8-1. Hammes and Matthew Earle went back and forth but came up short in their semifinals dual, falling 8-5. In the championship Cecchetti and Schneider lost the first set 6-3 but bounced back for a 6-4 win in the second. The third set tiebreaker went back and forth early before the team from Ouachita Baptist won three in a row to take control and go on to win 10-7.
In the B Draw singles championship match, Marco Romano bounced back from a first set loss to win 6-4 in the second and 10-4 in the 10-point tiebreaker to take the title.
Singles Competition – Main Draw
SF – Hammes, Tim (WU) def. Fischer, Tim (SAU) 6-2, 6-3
SF – Schneider, Vasek (WU) def. De Ruiter, Cas (HU) 5-7, 7-6(1), 6-2
F – Hammes, Tim (WU) def. Schneider, Vasek (WU) 6-2, 6-4
B Draw
F – Romano, Marco (WU) def. Jaulin, Alexandre (UNK) 5-7, 6-4, 10-4
Doubles Competition – Main Draw
SF – Exner, Phil/Strassmann, Ramon (OBU) def. Earle, Matthew/Hammes, Tim (WU) 8-5
SF – Schneider, Vasek/Cecchetti, Tommy (WU) def. De Ruiter, Cas/Solorzano, Adrian (HU) 8-1
F – Exner, Phil/Strassmann, Ramon (OBU) def. Schneider, Vasek/Cecchetti, Tommy (WU) 6-4, 4-6, 10-7
