UTRGV Duo Advances in ITA Doubles Draw
Paolo Bonaguro and Santiago Serrano won their doubles Round of 32 match at the ITA Conference Masters Championships, earning a Round of 16 meeting with Pepperdine's top seeds.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Tennis
Paolo Bonaguro and Santiago Serrano defeated Aaron Dawson and Jy Hibbert 7-5, 6-4 in the doubles Round of 32 at the ITA Conference Masters Championships. The win was the first main draw victory for UTRGV men's tennis at the tournament and the first for the Southland Conference on the men's side since 2024.
Why it matters
The result advances the UTRGV pair deeper into the conference championships and sets up a matchup with the No. 1-seeded Pepperdine duo. Serrano's singles exit did not prevent the team from keeping a doubles run alive.
The doubles win was 7-5, 6-4 over Aaron Dawson and Jy Hibbert, and Serrano lost his singles Round of 32 match to Kumar 6-3, 6-1. The Round of 16 doubles match against Pepperdine's Pisaric and Poertner begins Friday at 4:30 p.m., and the two finalists in the doubles bracket will qualify for the NCAA Doubles Championships.
The players
Paolo Bonaguro
Bonaguro is a doubles player for the UTRGV men's tennis team competing at the ITA Conference Masters Championships.
Santiago Serrano
Serrano is a doubles and singles player for the UTRGV men's tennis team competing at the ITA Conference Masters Championships.
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine is a private university in California whose tennis program fields the No. 1-seeded doubles pair Aleksa Pisaric and Lasse Poertner.
The details
Serrano returned a hard forehand that allowed Bonaguro to close and volley the point, and the pair later took a 2-0 lead after a serve returned long. Bonaguro's low backhand scraped the service line, leaving the opposing team unable to get the ball over the net in the first set's final game.
Timeline
Thursday: Bonaguro and Serrano won their doubles Round of 32 match; Serrano lost his singles match to Kumar.
Friday, 4:30 p.m.: Bonaguro and Serrano face Pisaric and Poertner in the Round of 16.
Season Trajectory
Doubles finalists at the ITA Conference Masters Championships qualify for the NCAA Doubles Championships, so each round carries weight for the national postseason picture. This win keeps UTRGV's doubles pair in that qualification race against the top-seeded Pepperdine team.
The Friday Round of 16 match determines whether UTRGV's doubles pair advances toward the NCAA Doubles Championships qualifying spots. Fans following the tournament can track the bracket results as the round progresses.
The takeaway
Doubles play at conference championships can reshape a team's postseason prospects quickly, and this opening-round win gives UTRGV a chance to build momentum. Readers tracking college tennis should watch the Friday result against the top seed.
What happens next
Bonaguro and Serrano face Pepperdine's Pisaric and Poertner in the Round of 16 on Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Further reading
For more college match coverage, see the Tennis section.
