MACON, Ga. – The Winthrop University men's tennis team continued its fall slate at the Mercer Gridiron Classic tournament Friday through Sunday.  
 
Four Eagles competed in the tournament's Flight A Singles with senior Connor Williamson advancing in the main draw. Williamson posted a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Harvey Maughan of Kennesaw State University to head to the round of 16 where he fell to Georgia Southern's Alexandros Roumpis 6-1, 7-6 (6). Williamson bounced back in consolation with a 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (8) victory over Marcelo Tebet of Florida Gulf Coast University.
 
Freshman Abhimanyu Vannemreddy fell 6-4, 6-4 in the opening of the main draw to Carver Arant of host Mercer. Vannemreddy bounced back with a win in the consolation draw, 6-1, 3-6, 1-0 (5) over Clement Hamel of Stetson. The Winthrop newcomer narrowly missed advancing to the consolation semis, falling just short in a third-set tiebreaker to Alabama State University's Chris Andre, 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (9).
 
Freshman Miha Velicki faced off with Felipe Ramirez of FGCU in the main draw with Ramirez taking the 7-5, 6-1 win. In the consolation draw, Velicki fell 6-3, 6-3 to Mritunjay Badola of Kennesaw State University. Georgia Southern's Murphy McCullough got the better of senior Gabriel Dias in the main draw with a 6-4, 6-3 win. Dias battled to a 7-5, 6-2 decision in the consolation draw against Yovan Lambros of Florida Atlantic University.
 
Lluis Miralles advanced to the semifinals of the Flight B Singles consolation draw with a 6-2, 6-7 (3), 1-0 (6) victory over Trey Whittaker of Troy University. Miralles fought a tough battle for a spot in the finals, dropping his first set in his semifinal match with Alabama State's Juan Rodriguez, then battling back for a second-set tiebreaker win 7-6 (5). Rodriguez came out on top with a 10-4 win in the third-set tiebreaker decision. Miralles headed to the consolation draw after a tough 7-5, 7-5 loss to Neil Kandhai of Georgia Southern in the main draw of Flight B.
 
Freshman Enzo Silveira was downed in the Flight B main draw 6-2, 6-2 by Florida Atlantic University's Hunter Robbins. Silveira advanced to the semis in the consolation draw on a walkover, where he exited at the hands of Lucas Gueymard of Mercer University, 6-0, 6-4.
 
In doubles play, Dias and Velicki paired up for a 6-1 victory in the Flight A main draw, downing Tim Gennes and Christian Mills of Stetson. Dias/Velicki were downed 7-5 in the next round by Luis Fernandez Labarata and Bryan Kulikov of Florida Atlantic.
 
Next up the Eagles head to the annual SC Collegiate Championships in Belton, S.C., Oct. 4-6.