Date Posted: 9/23/2008

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Enrique Olivares was good enough to make the round of 16 at the NCAA Championships in May, and it looks like he may be raising his sights.

The East Tennessee State senior started his fall season with a flair Monday by winning the singles title at the prestigious Southern Intercollegiate Championships in Athens, Ga.

Olivares, ranked 31st nationally and seeded fourth in the tournament, rallied past Bruno Agostinelli of Kentucky 3-6, 7-6, 6-1 in the final.

Agostinelli was ranked 19th and seeded second in a field that included 16 nationally ranked players.

"It was quite impressive to see Enrique close out this championship," said coach Yaser Zaatini, who once played in the event himself while at ETSU. "This tournament has so much hierarchy in tennis; so many great players have won it, and so many were in the field this year. Athens is where the College Hall of Fame is, so it's really big for Enrique. It proves he's one of the top-level players in the nation."

The left-hander from Venezuela prevailed in a 128-man draw without losing a set until the final. (He and Alex Ahlgren also reached the doubles final, losing 8-5 to Agostinelli and Brad Cox.)

In the end, Olivares had enough left to come back from a set down and claim the championship.

"I think both players started to get a little tired toward the end of the second set," said Zaatini, "but I thought Enrique had a little more gas in him. He had played shorter matches to get to the final."

"It just takes one great weekend of tennis to see him change into a great tennis player, a grown man wise beyond his year."

Olivares has been a pretty good player for awhile.

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