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LAKE CHARLES, La. – Seniors Paolo Bonaguro and Santiago Serrano secured spots in both the singles and doubles finals of the Southland Conference (SLC) Fall Championships Saturday at Nancy Hank Tennis Center.
 
This is the first time since the SLC Fall Championships was introduced that The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men’s tennis program will have student-athletes in either the singles or doubles championship match.
 
Serrano dominated in the singles semifinal, knocking off No. 1-seeded Alejandro Hernandez from UIW in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0. Serrano showed poise and composure throughout the match, consistently winning crucial points in deuce or advantage situations to secure the upset.
 
Meanwhile, in doubles, Serrano joined fellow senior Paolo Bonaguro in an upset victory over the No. 2-seeded duo of Mikel Garmendia and Jami Savolainen from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the doubles semifinal. The match went the distance with Bonaguro and Serrano winning, 6-3, 6-7 (7:4), 1-0 (10:8).
 
Both Vaqueros will now compete for the first individual conference tournament championship in the program’s 75-year history. The SLC Fall Championships singles and doubles champions will also earn automatic berths to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Conference Masters Championships, scheduled for Nov. 5–8 in Rome, Ga.
 
Singles
 
Hernandez and Serrano held serve through the opening five games before Serrano earned the first break to take a 4-2 lead. Serrano held serve to secure the break and take a 5-2 lead. Once again, facing Hernandez’s serve, Serrano broke through to clinch the set.
 
Serrano, serving to start the second set, faced a 30-40 break point as Hernandez tried to recapture some momentum. Serrano saved break point en route to three straight points to capture the first game, 1-0.
 
Hernandez stepped up to the baseline in the second set and held a 40-30 lead before Serrano once again won a crucial point to force deuce. Serrano won back-to-back points to take the second game. Serrano then stepped up and served out the next four points to win the third game.
 
Hernandez pushed the fourth game into the third deuce of the set, but Serrano once again prevailed on the critical points to take a 4-0 lead. Serrano won eight of the final nine points in the next two games to secure the 6-0 win.
 
In 2025, Hernandez cruised to the SLC Fall Championship, not allowing any of his opponents to reach four games in a single set. During that run, Hernandez knocked Serrano out of the championship in the semifinal round.
 
This year, Serrano advances to take on the No. 3-seeded Leon Nickel from Lamar in the singles final at 10 a.m.
 
Doubles
 
Serrano got a few minutes of rest before the doubles semifinal in the afternoon. The teams traded breaks to reach 3-2 in the first set before UTRGV secured its second break of the match to go up 4-2. UTRGV solidified the break, winning Bonaguro’s service game to take a 5-2 lead. The Vaqueros went on to secure the first set, 6-3.
 
Garmendia and Savolainen broke at 2-1 to take a 3-1 lead, but Serrano and Bonaguro broke back to make it 3-2 and remain on-serve. The teams traded service games until they reached 6-6 to force a deciding tiebreaker.
 
The Islanders took an early 3-1 lead before the Vaqueros knotted it at 3-3. However, the Islanders took four of the remaining five points to set up a deciding super tiebreaker for the third set.
 
The Islanders once again leapt out to a 3-1 lead in the tiebreaker, but the Vaqueros worked it back to a tie at 4-4. The serves were dominant and favorable for both sides, reaching 8-8. The Vaqueros broke the tie to take a 9-8 lead. With the Islanders serving, it was UTRGV that broke through to secure the 10-8 win in the deciding super tiebreaker.
 
The duo of Bonaguro and Serrano will play the No. 4-seeded duo of Hernandez and Alex Flores from UIW for the doubles championship Sunday at 12 p.m.

Fans can follow along through live stats and check the tournament page for the championship matches on Sunday.

 

UTRGV Saturday Results

Singles

Semifinals

#4 Santiago Serrano (UTRGV) def. #1 Alejandro Hernandez (UIW), 6-2, 6-0

 

Doubles

Semifinals

#3 Paolo Bonaguro/Santiago Serrano (UTRGV) def. #2 Mikel Garmendia/Jami Savolainen (TAMUCC), 6-3, 6-7 (7:4), 1-0 (10:8)

 

UTRGV Sunday Schedule

Singles

Championship

#4 Santiago Serrano (UTRGV) vs. #3 Leon Nickel (LU), 10 a.m.

 

Doubles

Championship

#3 Paolo Bonaguro/Serrano vs. #4 Alex Flores/Alejandro Hernandez (UIW), 12 p.m.

 

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