Four players on the Alabama men’s tennis team opened their fall seasons this weekend. Junior Patrick Kaukovalta and senior Zhe Zhou went to the Milwaukee Tennis Classic, while senior Edson Ortiz and junior Jeremy Gschwendtner played in the Gamecock Ranked +1 Tournament in Columbia, South Carolina.

On Friday, the pair of Zhou and Kaukovalta began the tournament with a doubles win.

Both players lost their first singles matches, with Kaukovalta, the No. 12 seed in the tournament, falling in a third-set tiebreak.

At the Gamecock Invitational, Ortiz, ranked No. 42 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, went 1-1 on Friday in the Black Singles Draw as the No. 3 seed. Ortiz had a 6-1, 6-0 win and a 7-6(4), 6-2 loss.

Gschwendtner played in the White Singles Draw of the tournament. Ranked as the No. 6 seed, the London, England, native lost his first match in straight sets and his second in three sets.

On Saturday, Kaukovalta and Zhou advanced in their doubles draw to reach the quarterfinals.

Kaukovalta bounced back and won both of his singles matches by margins of 6-4, 6-1 and 6-2, 6-4. Zhou dropped his only singles match on Saturday in straight sets.

In Columbia on Saturday, Ortiz won his second singles match in as many days, defeating Alejandro Requant-Bacardi (Arizona) 7-6(5), 5-7, 7-5.

Gschwendtner took an easy second day, advancing in his draw due to a walkover. The pair also participated in their doubles match on Saturday, but fell 8-5 in the contest.

On the final day of the Milwaukee Tennis Classic on Sunday, both Zhou and Kaukovalta won their consolation singles matches. Zhou won 6-3, 6-3 and Kaukovalta prevailed 3-6, 6-2, 1-0(9).

Their quarterfinal doubles match did not go as well, as they fell 8-4. Zhou and Kaukovalta had never played in a doubles tournament together prior to the Milwaukee Tennis Classic, but went 2-1 in doubles action in the tournament.

The final day of the Gamecock Fall Invitational was Sunday as well. Ortiz won his third match of the tournament with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win in the Black Singles Consolation Draw.

In the White Singles Consolation Draw, Gschwendtner fell in three sets.

Alabama will send players to the Southern Miss Invitational in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on Saturday and Sunday. The players participating will be released later this week. The women’s team will also open its individual season over the weekend, sending players to Houston for the Rice Invitational.