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ATHENS, Ga. – Virginia Tech sophomore Amerigo Contini advanced to the second round of the 2014 NCAA Men’s Singles Championship on Wednesday afternoon at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. Contini defeated Illinois’ Tim Kopinski in three sets, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2.

Contini, ranked 20^th in the ITA national rankings, was originally slated to play against seventh-seed Axel Alvarez Llamas of Oklahoma, but Alvarez dropped out of the field. Alvarez was replaced by Kopinski, a junior from the University of Illinios.

Kopinski, ranked 63^rd nationally, earned a break early in the first set and held off Contini to grab the opening set, 6-3. The second set went back and forth before heading to a tiebreaker. Contini jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the tiebreaker and never looked back, winning the tiebreaker and taking the set, 7-6 (7-2). In the third set, Contini used two early breaks to put away Kopinski, 6-2.

Contini will return to action tomorrow at 1 p.m. and will face Florent Diep of Florida. Diep, ranked 51^st nationally, defeated Elon’s Cameron Silverman in three sets in the opening round. Diep was named to the All-SEC Men’s Tennis first team this year.

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