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Capalbo Advances to the ITA Regional Final

Sep 24, 2021

PROVO, Utah – Utah's Franco Capalbo became the first Ute to reach the ITA Single's Regional Final since Dan Little in 2015 on Friday afternoon after defeating Bodin Zarkovic in three sets. Capalbo will look to capture the first ITA Single's Regional title for Utah since 2006. 
 
Capalbo matched up with Bodin Zarkovic in the semifinals of the ITA Regionals. Capalbo did not drop set in his four previous matches, while Zarkovic beat four seeded players to reach the semifinals. 
 
The match was highly contested as Capalbo won the first set 6-2. Capalbo dropped his first set of the tournament in the second set, and they would head to a third set. Capalbo responded and won the third set 6-2, taking the match and advancing to the finals. He became the first Ute to reach the ITA Regional final since Dan Little accomplished the feat in 2015. 
 
Capalbo had to wait and see who he would play in the finals. Top-seeded James Davis of Denver or teammate and 8th-seeded Francisco Bastias. 
 
Davis entered the semifinals, only dropping one set the entire tournament, but Bastias was up for the battle. Bastias handed Davishis second set loss of the tournament with a 6-4 win in set one. However, Davis, who is ranked as the 74th singles player in the ITA rankings, responded and won the following two sets defeating Bastias. 
 
Capalbo and Davis will meet on Saturday at 1 p.m. at BYU in the ITA Single's Regional Final. 
 
In the double's semifinals, fourth-seeded Francisco Bastias and Bruno Caula, matched up with the duo of Matej Panik and Daan Van Dijk of Montana State. Panik and Van Dijk defeated three seeded teams to reach the semifinals. The duo from Utah advanced to the semifinals with two 8-6 wins and an 8-5 victory. 
 
Panik and Van Dijk took set one 6-3 over the Utah duo. Bastias and Caula continued to battle and needed to win the second set to force a third. However, Bastias and Caula dropped the second set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (5). 
 
The ITA Regionals will continue tomorrow at BYU and can be followed by clicking here. The ITA Mountain Regional Finals for singles takes place at 1 p.m. MT. 
 
ITA Regional Championships – Day 4 Results 
Singles – Semifinals 
2nd-seeded Franco Capalbo (UU) def. Bodin Zarkovic (USU), 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
1st-seeded James Davis (DU) def. 8th-seeded Francisco Bastias (UU), 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
 
Doubles – Semifinals  
Matej Panik/Daan Van Dijk (MSU) def. 4th-seeded Francisco Bastias/Bruno Caula (UU), 6-3, 7-6 (5)