CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The opening day at the NCAA Division III Tennis Championships went about as well as it could for the Carleton College men's tennis program. Leo Vithoontien (Sr./Bangkok, Thailand/Bangkok Patana School) won twice and advanced to the quarterfinals of the singles bracket, and he teamed with Xander Zuczek (Sr./Westerly, R.I./St. Bernard) on a doubles victory, securing a quarterfinal berth and All-America status for both Knights.
 
Vithoontien entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed in the singles bracket. He started the morning off with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 victory over Kukutla Motlojoa of Southern Virginia University. He earned All-America recognition in singles for the fourth consecutive year, becoming the first player in program history to accomplish that feat (see chart below).
 
After a short break, Vithoontien was back on the court at the Champions Club Tennis Complex and dispatched Issac Gorelick of Tufts University in straight sets 6-0, 6-3. That result moved the Carleton senior into Saturday's quarterfinal round.
 
Rain drove play indoors at one of two local tennis facilities and forced Zuczek and Vithoontien to wait longer than expected to begin their opening match of the doubles bracket. The Knight duo handled the delay well and responded with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over the tournament's No. 2 seed of Boris Sorkin and Josh Belandres of Tufts University. The result advanced Zuczek and Vithoontien to the quarterfinals of the doubles bracket where they will face Hayden Cassone and Antonio Mora of Emory University on Saturday.
 
After capturing the opening set, Zuczek and Vithoontien faced a 4-1 deficit in the second set. The Carleton seniors regrouped and won the next five games to clinch the match.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE KNIGHTS: Vithoontien faces Hayden Cassone of Emory University in the quarterfinals of the singles bracket. That match is scheduled for 9:30am CT/10:30am ET. The winner advances to the semifinals, which begin after 1:30pm CT/2:30pm ET. Vithoontien and Zuczek are slated for a quarterfinal contest that will begin no earlier than 3:30pm/4:30pm ET.
 
All-Americans in Carleton Men's Tennis History
1984   --   Dave Treichel (doubles)
1984   --   John Flygare (doubles)
1985   --   Dave Treichel (singles)
1985   --   Dave Treichel (doubles)
1985   --   John Flygare (doubles)
1986   --   Dave Treichel (singles)
1987   --   Tom James (singles)
1988   --   Tom James (singles)
1989   --   Tom James (singles)
2018   --   Leo Vithoontien (singles)
2019   --   Leo Vithoontien (singles)
2020   --   Leo Vithoontien (singles)
2021   --   Leo Vithoontien (singles)
2021   --   Leo Vithoontien (doubles)
2021   --   Xander Zuczek (doubles)