FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - The Swarthmore College men's tennis team opened play at the ITA Regional Tournament with several players advancing to tomorrow's action. The Garnet will send three doubles teams and five individual competitors to the Sweet 16 of the championship bracket. 

Michael Melnikov and Max Lindstrom punched their tickets to the Sweet 16 in both championship singles and doubles to headline a successful opening day for Swarthmore. Kai Chen, Lalith Suresh and Rishi Verma also advanced in the main singles tournament.  

Max Pogorelov/ Nicholas Choo and Dylan Hayes Gilbert/ Aadhi Raja earned a spot in the Sweet 16 after advancing past the opening two rounds in championship doubles.

DOUBLES
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After being awarded an opening round bye, Melnikov/ Lindstrom advanced to tomorrow's action after an 8-7 victory over Carnegie Mellon in the Round of 32. The Garnet held on to win the tiebreaker, 7-4, to secure victory. Melnikov/ Lindstrom will play Hampden-Sydney College in the Sweet 16.

- Pogorelov/ Choo won their opening round matchup against Washington & Lee, 6-4. The duo then advanced past the Round of 32 with an 8-3 decision over Gettysburg College. Pogorelov/ Choo will battle Carnegie Mellon in the Sweet 16. 

- Gilbert/ Raja won their second round matchup against Stevens Institute of Technology, 8-7. The Garnet pairing advanced to tomorrow's action after securing an opening round bye. Gilbert/ Raja will take on Johns Hopkins in the Sweet 16. 

- Chen/ Winston Zhang advanced past Ursinus College, 6-1, in the Round of 64. The pairing then fell to Washington & Lee University in the second round, 8-6.

SINGLES
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Top-seeded Melnikov cruised to victory with an 8-0 decision over Muhlenberg in the opening round of the championship singles bracket. The junior then took down Johns Hopkins, 8-2, to advance to tomorrow's Sweet 16. Melnikov will battle Dominick Suwak of Shenandoah University tomorrow. 

- Chen held off Christopher Newport in the Round of 64 with an 8-6 win. The first-year went on to defeat Hampden-Sydney, 8-4, to advance to tomorrow's Sweet 16 against Alex Feies of Carnegie Mellon. 

- Suresh won his opening-round draw with an 8-6 win over Stevens. He then advanced to the Sweet 16 with an 8-5 win over Johns Hopkins. He will square off against Luke Brodsky of Franklin & Marshall tomorrow.

- Lindstrom handled business in the opening round with an 8-0 victory over Wilkes University. The junior then rolled past Virginia Wesleyan, 8-1, to punch his ticket to tomorrow's Sweet 16 against Chakor Sankaran Rajendra of Johns Hopkins.

- Verma picked up a victory with an 8-5 decision over Franklin & Marshall. The sophomore then defeated Washington & Lee, 8-1. He will battle Raghav Jangbahadur of Carnegie Mellon in tomorrow's Sweet 16. 

UP NEXT
The Garnet continue action tomorrow at the ITA Regional Tournament.