The Gators could not hold on to early momentum against their top-ranked opponent of the season.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Gators Men’s Tennis faltered after a hot start against No. 5 Kentucky in Lexington on Friday. The Gators now hold a 2-1 record in Southeastern Conference play.
How it Happened
The Gators jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a win in doubles play. Freshman tandem Henry Jefferson/Jeremy Jin collected the first win on court three. Jefferson sealed their set with a display of monstrous serves that overpowered Kentucky’s Jack Loutit/Matt Rankin combo on court three. Florida’s Nate Bonetto/Aidan Kim toppled the nation’s No. 13-ranked doubles pairing, Joshua Lapadat/JJ Mercer, 6-4 to win the point on court one.
Despite big performances to open the day, the Gators quickly lost momentum as they progressed to the day’s singles matches.
Florida’s No. 97-ranked Jin, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week, fell behind after a 6-2 loss of the first set to No. 21 Taha Baadi. Jin seemed to reclaim some momentum in the second, opening the set with a 3-0 lead before ultimately dropping the set to Kentucky’s fifth-year senior, 7-5.
Kim manned court two for the Gators, and despite a hard-fought near-comeback in the second set, the freshman fell in a 7-6 (4) tiebreak to Lapadat that sealed the fourth point for the Wildcats.
After the fourth point and Kentucky victory were sealed, the teams elected to finish all six singles matches. Jefferson won the first set of his match on court six, which went on to a ten-point tiebreaker third set, which he dropped to Kentucky’s Eli Stephenson. The final point ended the contest with a 6-1 win for Kentucky in the dual.
Next Up
The Gators now travel to Knoxville to face the No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers on Sunday. The Vols enter the contest with the Gators boasting a 14-3 record, including a 12-0 mark at home.
Results
Singles
1. #21 Taha Baadi (UK) def. #97 Jeremy Jin (UF) 6-2, 7-5
2. Joshua Lapadat (UK) def. Aidan Kim (UF) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Jaden Weekes (UK) def. Adhithya Ganesan (UF) 6-1, 6-1
4. Charlelie Cosnet (UK) def. Nate Bonetto (UF), 7-5, 6-3
5. Jack Loutit (UK) def. #99 Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
6. Eli Stephenson (UK) def. Henry Jefferson (UF) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5)
Doubles
1. Nate Bonetto and Aidan Kim (UF) def. No. 13 Joshua Lapadat and JJ Mercer (UK) 6-4
2. Eli Stephenson and Jaden Weekes (UK) vs.#39 Adhithya Ganesan and Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF) 6-5 unf.
3. Henry Jefferson and Jeremy Jin (UF) def. Jack Loutit and Matt Rankin (UK) 6-4
