Gators see success at SEC Challenge<https://floridagators.com/news/2024/9/15/mens-tennis-gators-see-success-at-sec-challenge.aspx>
Florida opened the fall season recording 13 wins at the SEC Challenge.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Gators traveled to Tuscaloosa this past weekend to open their fall season and compete in the SEC Challenge hosted by the University of Alabama. Florida picked up six doubles wins and seven singles win. Next up, Florida will travel to Arkansas on Monday to compete in the Fayetteville 25K Futures.
Friday
The SEC Challenge kicked off Friday at the University of Alabama with the Gators seeing a successful sweep on the doubles side.
Kevin Edengren<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/kevin-edengren/16662>/Magnus Johnson defeated Eli Stephenson/Jayden Weekes (Kentucky) in a tiebreaker 8-7(5).
Henry Jefferson<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/henry-jefferson/16661>/Bradley Paliska<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/bradley-paliska/17049> saw a similar result, taking an 8-7(6) victory over Carlos Gimenez Perez/Damien Nezar (Alabama).
Rounding out the doubles draws Mattia Akcan<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/mattia-akcan/16659>/Francesco Cordova<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/francesco-cordova/17050> secured a 8-6 win over Thomas Kennedy/Joey Phillips (Auburn).
On the singles side, only one Gator logged a win. Kevin Edengren<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/kevin-edengren/16662> took the victory over Eli Stephenson in a retirement. The two were tied 3-3 before the match was called.
More scores from Friday:
Damien Nezar (UA) def. Bradley Paliska<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/bradley-paliska/17049> (7-5,2-6,6-3)
Jayden Weekes (UK) def. Magnus Johnson (6-2,6-4)
Joseph Phillips (AU) def. Mattia Akcan<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/mattia-akcan/16659> (6-0,6-2)
Thomas Kennedy (AU) def. Francesco Cordova<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/francesco-cordova/17050> (6-1,6-3)
Saturday
Opening with doubles, Florida had one duo secure a win on Saturday morning. Kevin Edengren<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/kevin-edengren/16662>/JanMagnus defeated Billy Blaydes/Nick Heng (Auburn) 8-3.
Henry Jefferson<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/henry-jefferson/16661>/Bradley Paliska<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/bradley-paliska/17049> were defeated 8-4, by Vandy Gold pair Nathan Cox/Michael Ross. Mattia Akcan<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/mattia-akcan/16659>/Franceso Cordova saw a similar result in their match against Vandy duo Tighe Brunetti/Giuseppe Cerasuolo losing 8-4.
Florida saw much more success on Saturday in singles with four Gators coming out on top.
Mattia Akcan<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/mattia-akcan/16659> took a straight set 7-5, 6-3 victory over Tighe Brunetti (Vanderbilt).
Henry Jefferson<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/henry-jefferson/16661> also secured a straight set victory, defeating Nathan Cox (Vanderbilt) 7-5, 7-5.
Kevin Edengren<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/kevin-edengren/16662> faced Nick Heng (Auburn) and recorded a 6-3, 6-4 victory.
JanMagnus Johnson<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/janmagnus-johnson/17174> posted his first singles victory since returning from an injury. Johnson saw a tough opponent in Billy Blaydes (Auburn), but ultimately came out victorious in a 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-0 effort.
More scores from Saturday:
Michael Ross (VU) def. Bradley Paliska<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/bradley-paliska/17049> (6-1, 6-1)
Giuseppe Cerasuolo (VU) def. Francesco Cordova<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/francesco-cordova/17050> (6-4, 6-2)
Sunday
The Gators closed out the final day of the SEC Challenge with two doubles wins and two singles wins.
Henry Jefferson<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/henry-jefferson/16661>/Bradley Paliska<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/bradley-paliska/17049> took their second victory of the weekend, defeating Charlie Cosnet/Matt Rankin (Kentucky) 8-2.
Mattia Akcan<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/mattia-akcan/16659>/Francesco Cordova<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/francesco-cordova/17050> defeated Matthieu Chambonniere/Benjamin Martin (Ole Miss) in an 8-6 win. This also marks the duo’s second doubles win over the weekend.
In the singles competition, Mattia Ackan was the only Gator to log a win. Ackan faced Benjamin Martin (Ole Miss) and took a 6-4, 6-4 straight set victory.
More scores from Sunday:
Roan Jones/Andrii Zimnokh (Alabama) def. Kevin Edengren<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/kevin-edengren/16662>/Magnus Johnson (8-3)
Andrii Zimnokh (UA) def. Magnus Johnson (6-2, 6-2)
Roan Jones (UA) def. Kevin Edengren<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/kevin-edengren/16662> (6-3, 6-2)
Matt Rankin (UK) def. Bradley Paliska<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/bradley-paliska/17049> (6-3, 6-3)
Matthieu Chambonniere (OM) def. Francesco Cordova<https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/francesco-cordova/17050> (walkover)
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter<https://twitter.com/GatorsMTN> | Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/GatorsTN/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/gatorsmtn/>
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators
