TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo men's tennis team closed out the first day of the Rocket Invitational by posting wins over Wayne State, Eastern Illinois, Chicago State and Youngstown State on Friday. 
 
"As predicted, these guys' mindset is tough, relentless and enthusiastic," said head coach Al Wermer. "We have a long way to go, but we're off to a great start."
 
Kicking off competition bright and early against Wayne State, the Rockets dominated singles play with four victories. Senior Thawin Suksathaporn defeated Pierre Renaudie in a three-set thriller (7-5, 1-6, 10-7). Sophomore Cole Shoults downed Max Rink in two sets (7-5, 6-4) and junior Nikola Arsic came back from a 5-7 loss in the first set to defeat Donovan Nguyen 6-1, 10-2 in the second and third sets. Junior Filip Zupancic executed a clean 6-0, 6-0 sweep of Ryan Okonski.
 
In the afternoon session against Eastern Illinois, the Rockets continued to have a strong presence on the court.  Zupancic, paired with senior Danilo Vukotic defeated Gage Kingsmith/Mike Jansen 6-3, 6-0 and Arsic and freshman Max Skaer defeated Juan Carlos Garrido/Thomas Wallace 7-5, 6-4. In singles action, freshmen Krzysztof Wetoszka and Luis Kleinschnitz garnered wins, with Wetoszka defeating Cameron Slabbert 6-2, 7-5, and Kleinschnitz defeating Logan Charbonneau 6-4, 6-1. 
 
The Rockets closed out the day with an early evening match against the combined teams of Youngstown State and Chicago State. Shoults/Suksathaporn defeated YSU's Joao Garretto/Laurentiu Mandocesu 7-6(4), 6-2 and Skaer/Kleinschnitz posted a three-set victory over Will Everett/Erik Gran (3-6, 7-6, 10-7). Vukotic and Zupancic posted individual wins over Chicago State, with Vukotic defeating Jesus Perez Plaza (7-5, 6-4) and Zupancic downing J. Sanchez Pradillo 6-1, 6-3. 
 
The Rocket Invitational will resume play tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. with the Rockets taking on Case Western Reserve at the UT Varsity Courts and Valparaiso taking on the combined teams of Chicago State and Youngstown State at Shadow Valley in Maumee. 

Rocket Invitational
Toledo, Ohio | Friday, Sept. 20 
 
Toledo vs. Wayne State
Singles 
Niklas Karcz (Wayne State) def. Danilo Vukotic (Toledo) 6-2, 7-6 (3-0)
Thawin Suksathaporn (Toledo) def. Pierre Renaudie (Wayne State) 7-5, 1-6, 10-7
Cole Shoults (Toledo) def. Max Rink (Wayne State) 7-5, 6-4
Nikola Arsic (Toledo) def. Donovan Nguyen (Wayne State) 5-7, 6-2, 10-2
Filip Zupancic (Toledo) def. Ryan Okonski (Wayne State) 6-0, 6-0
 
Doubles
Dom Spicer/Luke Laws (Wayne State) def. Luis Kleinschnitz/Krzysztof Wetoszka (Toledo) 6-1, 7-6 (6-0)
 
Toledo vs. Eastern Illinois
Singles 
Freddie O'BRIEN (Eastern Illinois) def. Cole Shoults (Toledo) 6-3, 3-6, 10-3
Krzysztof Wetoszka (Toledo) def. Cameron SLABBERT (Eastern Illinois) 6-2, 7-5 
Luis Kleinschnitz (Toledo) def. Logan CHARBONNEAU (Eastern Illinois) 6-4, 6-1
 
Doubles
Danilo Vukotic/Filip Zupancic (Toledo) def. Gage KINGSMITH/Mike JANSEN (Eastern Illinois) 6-3, 6-0
Nikola Arsic/Max Skaer (Toledo) def. Juan Carlos GARRIDO/Thomas WALLACE (Eastern Illinois) 7-5, 6-4
 
Toledo vs. Chicago State/Youngstown State
Singles 
Danilo Vukotic (Toledo) def. Jesus Perez Plaza (Chicago State) 7-5, 6-4
Filip Zupancic (Toledo) def. J Sanchez Pradillo (Chicago State) 6-1, 6-3
 
Doubles
Cole Shoults/Thawin Suksathaporn (Toledo) def. Joao Garretto/Laurentiu Mandocescu (Youngstown State) 7-6 (4-0), 6-2
Cody Wurzelbacher/Jakov Suler (Chicago State) def. Krzysztof Wetoszka/Nikola Arsic (Toledo) 3-6, 7-5, 10-8
Max Skaer/Luis Kleinschnitz (Toledo) def. Will Everett/Erik Gran (Youngstown State) 3-6, 7-6, 10-7

Daily Schedule (by location, Toledo matches in bold) 
Saturday  
UT Varsity Courts
9:00 a.m. Toledo vs. Case Western Reserve
11:30 a.m. Eastern Illinois vs. Case Western Reserve
1:30 p.m. Toledo vs. Valparaiso
3:30 p.m. Chicago State/Youngstown State vs. Case Western Reserve 
 
Shadow Valley 
9:00 a.m. Chicago State/Youngstown State vs. Valparaiso
11:30 a.m. Chicago State/Youngstown State vs. Wayne State
2:00 p.m. Wayne State vs. Eastern Illinois 
4:30 p.m. Valparaiso vs. Wayne State
 
Sunday, Sept. 22 
Sunday's schedule to be determined.