Gainesville, Fla. — The Stetson men's tennis team opened play at the 2025 ITA Division I Men's Southeast Regional Championships, hosted by the University of Florida, with a full slate of matches on Wednesday. The tournament runs through Saturday, with the Hatters represented in both singles and doubles main draws.
All Stetson pairs earned a spot in the main draw doubles competition, while the singles side was highlighted by Alexandre Verlaguet's direct entry into the main draw and Christian Kuehne's qualification following strong performances in the preliminaries.
Santiago Padilla Cote earned a convincing 6-3, 6-1 win over Nathan Walters of Kennesaw State to open the round of 64 before falling in a tight three-set battle to USF's James Newton. Kuehne received a bye in the opening round, then advanced to the round of 16 after defeating Youssef Labbene 6-3, 4-3 (ret.). He will face Ettore Danesi of USF next, with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.
Elsewhere, Mateya Stanisavljevic dropped his round of 64 match to Miami's Jules Garot, 6-4, 6-2, while Mihnea Maftei earned a solid 6-4, 6-2 victory over Lucca Acioly before falling to Saud Alhogbani of Miami 7-5, 6-2 in the round of 32. Xavier Sarda Marti received a first-round bye and fell in three sets to Bullion Sharp, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0. Marc Saura dropped a 6-4, 6-1 decision to FGCU's Stefan Correa, and Kartik Mandla was edged 6-4, 6-4 by Georgia Southern's Davis Taylor.
"Today was a long day where guys dealt with a lot of elements and adversity. We won some matches finding a way to get the job done. There were some matches where we started off well but weren't quite able to finish the deal. This is one of the toughest tournaments there is and the margins are so thin. Tomorrow we're back at it as we start doubles. I'm excited to see how we compete in both the singles and doubles main draw with another day of renewed energy."
The Hatters will continue singles and doubles competition Thursday as play resumes in Gainesville.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
