Men's Tennis Turns In Strong Performances At ITA Southeast Regional Championship

Wednesday, October 14

Atlanta, Ga. / Ken Byers Tennis Complex

University of North Florida

ITA Southeast Regional Championship

Andreas Messis and Joao Portugal Celebrating During Doubles Play

Men's Tennis Turns In Strong Performances At ITA Southeast Regional Championship

10/17/2026 2:15:00 PM | Men's Tennis

ATLANTA, Ga. – North Florida men's tennis turned in several strong performances this weekend at ITA Southeast Regional Championship on Oct. 14-17 in Atlanta, Ga.

The Ospreys were one of 15 teams competing this weekend, with junior Youssef Labbene, freshman Andreas Messis, sophomore Joao Portugal and freshman Noah Sauer Jimenez representing North Florida.

In Wednesday's singles qualifying action, Sauer Jimenez earned his first singles win of the fall. Messis earned a pair of singles wins, while Labbene added a win of his own, with both advancing to the singles main draw. Messis would also tack on his third singles win of the weekend in a consolation singles match.

Starting in the main draw, Portugal advanced to the singles round of 32 with a win in three sets over Florida State's Mikail Alimi 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 on Thursday.

Portugal and Messis paired up to advance all the way to the doubles round of 16 with a pair of doubles wins on Thursday and Friday. Their run concluded after dropping a match to Florida's No. 41-ranked doubles team.

North Florida continues its fall season next week at the ASUN Men's Tennis Individual Tournament in Nashville, Tenn., Oct. 22-24 and at the Wake Forest Invite on Oct. 23-25 in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Wednesday Singles Qualifying Matches (Oct. 14)
Andreas Messis (UNF) def. Giovanni Ronzio (GSU) 7-5, 7-6(5)
Noah Sauer Jimenez (UNF) def. Arthur Attrill (GSU) 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
Andreas Messis (UNF) def. Tanner Povey (FGCU) 6-3, 6-4
Marek Pazdera (FAU) def. Noah Sauer Jimenez (UNF) 6-3, 6-2
Youssef Labbene (UNF) def. Xavier Ferrer (KSU) 6-3, 6-1

Thursday Doubles Matches Round of 64 (Oct. 15)
Andreas Messis/Joao Portugal (UNF) def. Juan Parrilla/Frederik Tandeter (KSU) 8-3
Xavier Ferrer/Nathan Walters (KSU) def. Youssef Labbene/Noah Sauer Jimenez (UNF) 8-1

Thursday Main Draw Singles Matches Round of 64 (Oct. 15)
Eudald Gonazlez (UGA) def. Andreas Messis (UNF) 6-3, 6-0
Joao Portugal (UNF) def. Mikail Alimi (FSU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
Gabriele Vulpitta (UGA) def. Youssef Labbene (UNF) 6-1, 6-1

Consolation Main Draw Singles Matches
Andreas Messis (UNF) def. Timeo Gaillard (USF) 2-6, 6-4, 1-0[4]
Bullion Sharp (FAU) def. Youssef Labbene (UNF) 6-4, 6-4

Friday Doubles Matches Round of 32 (Oct. 16)
Andreas Messis/Joao Portugal (UNF) def. Fadi Bidan/Kai-Luca Ampaw (UCF) 8-6

Friday Main Draw Singles Round of 32 (Oct. 16)
Simon Myslivec (FAU) def. Joao Portugal (UNF) 7-5, 7-6(3)

Saturday Doubles Matches Round 16 (Oct. 17)
No. 41 Ty Host/Henry Jefferson (UF) def. Andreas Messis/Joao Portugal (UNF) 8-4