The eight players in the singles rankings is the most among any other school on the list.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The reigning national champions Florida Gators men’s tennis team showed out on ITA’s Division I preseason singles and doubles rankings, with eight student-athletes in the top 125 of singles rankings and three doubles pairs in the top 60 of doubles rankings as announced by the organization on Tuesday afternoon. The entire top five singles players all come from an SEC school, as Florida leads with two players in the top five.
The Gators placed an impressive eight players in the singles rankings. The 2021 NCAA Singles champion, Sam Riffice<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14597&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=358DkWbwdYPbbys56bCVXRUWK-1uIpLvClz1st697IY&e= >, found himself at No. 2 on the list just behind No. 1-ranked Liam Draxl of Kentucky, who Riffice defeated in the NCAA semifinals en route to his singles title. Riffice went 32-7 overall in singles play last year and is coming off an appearance at the US Open, where he battled No. 18-ranked Grigor Dimitrov.
Another Gator captain claimed a spot in the top five as Duarte Vale<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14599&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=y5uKejoRzfdQi8QV5H3UymlUdvkaJiWCz5WgOQfxqLI&e= > comes in at No. 4. Vale tallied 26 total singles wins last season, including 17 dual singles victories playing at No. 1 singles for the entire season.
Senior Andy Andrade<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14592&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=CQzEcJH0h4hNaCm1okQfPfj2AYGTCvpnG4BFhJlvhdw&e= > is the next Gator on the list coming in at No. 14. He put together a 28-8 overall singles record last season, while picking up 19 dual singles victories. His eight wins in SEC play garnered him First-Team All-SEC honors.
The next two Florida Gators spent the entire 2020-21 season undefeated. Blaise Bicknell<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14593&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=ehHTYjbskrkvi8BhkxkQmpbhWXamw7E76O2DmCwn0RU&e= > checks in at No. 33, while Josh Goodger<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14594&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=2ShZ2YELHemPymQyMpVYh_oWRxHDuWECYC6HpICAXtI&e= > claims the No. 59 singles ranking. Bicknell was named to the Second-Team All-SEC Team and SEC All-Newcomer Team for his undefeated efforts, going a perfect 10-0 in conference and 23-0 in dual singles matches. Goodger collected a 22-0 overall singles record last year, while claiming 16 dual singles wins.
Sophomore Ben Shelton<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14598&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=nDUMTy10rIhU41XbwhLPie-VvGYOH6S0qGpd9Ju0lGM&e= > ranks No. 86 after putting together a 28-5 overall singles campaign last season. He won 21 dual singles matches and clinched the national championship with his win over Charlie Broom of Baylor.
Rounding out the singles rankings are graduate transfer Mattias Siimar<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14602&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=g33Q4W1W6lDKZ_Y3LJ_wCLq8OofvpMY3DndMaxMCIrk&e= > at No. 103 and senior Lukas Greif<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14596&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=pU8EeS5PnbagW6kynKrUnz9AA_lfcyF3eZ7FT4kIdCE&e= > at No. 111. Siimar comes to the Gators from Michigan, where he was an ITA All-American in doubles (2020). He collected 17 overall singles wins, including going 14-3 in dual matches on the year. Greif went 12-2 overall last season, notching a 5-1 record in dual singles matches and a 3-1 record in SEC play.
In doubles rankings, all three teams are ranked in the top 60. The pairing of Riffice and Shelton are No. 26 on the list after putting together a 10-3 overall doubles record last year, including eight wins in dual doubles. Will Grant<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14595&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=DyEO4gPbyFOWlDL1vjVj7jSuAPmovm06va0hxDMIXHs&e= > and Bicknell checked in at No. 50 in the doubles rankings. Grant played at all three courts last season, collecting 13 total victories in dual matches, including an undefeated 6-0 record on Court 2. The duo played together once last year and won the match.
The final pair to grab a spot in ITA’s preseason rankings are freshman Abedallah Shelbayh<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14600&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=33FbbAh3dTYff113PLrZrMSQFTIdS1bIBNMQp9yoZ34&e= > and Siimar. Both Gators are new to the program, but will make a huge impact as the season gets underway. Siimar put together an impressive doubles career at Michigan, tallying a 48-15 career doubles record during his time there. Shelbayh has participated in some big tournaments over the summer, and notched a doubles finals appearance at Junior Wimbledon. He is also currently competing at the US Open Junior Championships in singles and doubles.
You can find the full singles<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.wearecollegetennis.com_2021_09_07_ita-2Ddivision-2Di-2Dmens-2Dsingles-2Drankings-2Dpreseason-2Dtop-2D125_&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=LR5btluVNe5zU8LZHceoJWQ0Jtyvq8H9UVLjGIECAxU&e= > and doubles<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.wearecollegetennis.com_2021_09_07_ita-2Ddivision-2Di-2Dmens-2Ddoubles-2Drankings-2Dpreseason-2Dtop-2D60_&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=ysFob3X2oNhsaBiPtWuzJ11WPDPfcPXXNuFbQvgXXSY&e= > rankings on ITA’s website<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.wearecollegetennis.com_&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=9MFmcFBx7n0ZdeTYeTU_lLfsD4JMrEsD3SF3fwyoy3w&s=mwQaVf6CACshLVgTZGPcfLXTS3EV3PvonX4O0aYK87Y&e= >.
