Friday, April 21
Starkville, MS
8:00 AM
Florida Gators
4
vs
2
Kentucky at SEC Tournament
GATOR MEN'S TENNIS RALLIES TO BEAT KENTUCKY, 4-2 AT SEC TOURNAMENT
Friday, April 21, 2000 | Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The third-ranked University of Florida men's tennis team (22-3) came back after losing the doubles point to claim a 4-2 victory over Kentucky (12-14) Friday morning in the quarterfinals of the 2000 SEC Tournament at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
The Gators advance to the semifinals to face the winner of the Mississippi-Mississippi State match on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CT (Noon ET). Florida will be making its sixth semifinal showing since team play began in 1990.
Freshman Troy Hahn sealed the Gator win with a 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 win at number six singles over Jorge Mario Escallon, his second clinching win of the year. With the score tied 4-4 in the final set, Hahn broke Escallon's serve and then held serve for the Gator victory.
"I wanted to do it for the seniors," said Hahn. "In the final set I was trying not to get nervous and not think of the result. The conditions were hard and you had to wait for your chances."
"I knew these guys would play us tough," said Gator head coach Ian Duvenhage. "I am really happy how we fought back, hung in there and got the job done."
The Gators began doubles play with a win at number one as Florida's sixth-ranked team of juniors Jeff Morrison and Nathan Overholser won their 15th consecutive match with an 8-4 victory over Johan Grunditz and Gustav Pousette. The Wildcats responded with an 8-4 win at number three as senior Dylan Mann and junior Marcos Asse fell to Carlos Drada and Reven Stephens. The point came down to number two doubles as sophomore Olivier Levant and senior Justin O'Neal battled Kentucky's Edo Bawano and Johan Hesoun. Bawano and Hesoun jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Levant and O'Neal rebounded to win five straight games and take a 5-3 lead. The two teams traded games for the next four games and Florida held a 7-5 edge. But Kentucky broke UF's serve and never looked back, winning the final four games for a 9-7 victory.
Florida quickly evened the match in singles as Mann won for the 10th time in his last 11 matches with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Grunditz. Kentucky regained the lead at number four as Pousette downed Levant, but the Gators tied the match at 2-2 as ninth-ranked O'Neal tied UF's career singles record with a 6-4, 6-3 decision over 25th-ranked Drada. The win was O'Neal's 112th in singles, tying Mark Merklein's school record from 1991-94.
"They always seem to play well against us, but after doubles we did not panic," said O'Neal. "I am very honored to tie the record. Mark is a great player."
With the score tied, the dual would be decided on courts number one, number three and number six singles, with all three matches heading to the third set. Morrison, who is ranked fourth nationally, gave Florida a 3-2 lead with a come-from-behind 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 win over 82nd-ranked Hesoun for his eighth straight win. Morrison also improved to 6-0 in three-set matches this season, including 5-0 when losing the first set, but winning the second.
"Today's win shows what this team is about," said Morrison. "We have taken everyone's best shot and responded. In singles we dug down and found a way to beat them. Hesoun started out playing incredible, but I started to wear him down. I felt more confident in the third set and was able to move him around."
No. 3 FLORIDA (22-3) 4
No. 39 Kentucky (12-14) 2
SEC Tournament Quarterfinals
Friday, April 21, 2000
A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre, Starkville, Miss.
DOUBLES
No. 1 – Jeff Morrison-Nathan Overholser (UF) d. Johan Grunditz-Gustav Pousette (UK) 8-4
No. 2 – Edo Bawano-Johan Hesoun (UK) d. Olivier Levant-Justin O'Neal (UF) 9-7
No. 3 – Carlos Drada-Reven Stephens (UK) d. Marcos Asse-Dylan Mann (UF) 8-4
SINGLES
No. 1 – Jeff Morrison (UF) d. Johan Hesoun (UK) 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2
No. 2 – Justin O'Neal (UF) d. Carlos Drada (UK) 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 – Nathan Overholser (UF) vs. Edo Bawono (UK), not completed
No. 4 – Gustav Pousette (UK) d. Olivier Levant (UF) 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 – Dylan Mann (UF) d. Johan Grunditz (UK) 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 – Troy Hahn (UF) d. Jorge Mario Escallon (UK) 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4
The Gators advance to the semifinals to face the winner of the Mississippi-Mississippi State match on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CT (Noon ET). Florida will be making its sixth semifinal showing since team play began in 1990.
Freshman Troy Hahn sealed the Gator win with a 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 win at number six singles over Jorge Mario Escallon, his second clinching win of the year. With the score tied 4-4 in the final set, Hahn broke Escallon's serve and then held serve for the Gator victory.
"I wanted to do it for the seniors," said Hahn. "In the final set I was trying not to get nervous and not think of the result. The conditions were hard and you had to wait for your chances."
"I knew these guys would play us tough," said Gator head coach Ian Duvenhage. "I am really happy how we fought back, hung in there and got the job done."
The Gators began doubles play with a win at number one as Florida's sixth-ranked team of juniors Jeff Morrison and Nathan Overholser won their 15th consecutive match with an 8-4 victory over Johan Grunditz and Gustav Pousette. The Wildcats responded with an 8-4 win at number three as senior Dylan Mann and junior Marcos Asse fell to Carlos Drada and Reven Stephens. The point came down to number two doubles as sophomore Olivier Levant and senior Justin O'Neal battled Kentucky's Edo Bawano and Johan Hesoun. Bawano and Hesoun jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Levant and O'Neal rebounded to win five straight games and take a 5-3 lead. The two teams traded games for the next four games and Florida held a 7-5 edge. But Kentucky broke UF's serve and never looked back, winning the final four games for a 9-7 victory.
Florida quickly evened the match in singles as Mann won for the 10th time in his last 11 matches with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Grunditz. Kentucky regained the lead at number four as Pousette downed Levant, but the Gators tied the match at 2-2 as ninth-ranked O'Neal tied UF's career singles record with a 6-4, 6-3 decision over 25th-ranked Drada. The win was O'Neal's 112th in singles, tying Mark Merklein's school record from 1991-94.
"They always seem to play well against us, but after doubles we did not panic," said O'Neal. "I am very honored to tie the record. Mark is a great player."
With the score tied, the dual would be decided on courts number one, number three and number six singles, with all three matches heading to the third set. Morrison, who is ranked fourth nationally, gave Florida a 3-2 lead with a come-from-behind 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 win over 82nd-ranked Hesoun for his eighth straight win. Morrison also improved to 6-0 in three-set matches this season, including 5-0 when losing the first set, but winning the second.
"Today's win shows what this team is about," said Morrison. "We have taken everyone's best shot and responded. In singles we dug down and found a way to beat them. Hesoun started out playing incredible, but I started to wear him down. I felt more confident in the third set and was able to move him around."
No. 3 FLORIDA (22-3) 4
No. 39 Kentucky (12-14) 2
SEC Tournament Quarterfinals
Friday, April 21, 2000
A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre, Starkville, Miss.
DOUBLES
No. 1 – Jeff Morrison-Nathan Overholser (UF) d. Johan Grunditz-Gustav Pousette (UK) 8-4
No. 2 – Edo Bawano-Johan Hesoun (UK) d. Olivier Levant-Justin O'Neal (UF) 9-7
No. 3 – Carlos Drada-Reven Stephens (UK) d. Marcos Asse-Dylan Mann (UF) 8-4
SINGLES
No. 1 – Jeff Morrison (UF) d. Johan Hesoun (UK) 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2
No. 2 – Justin O'Neal (UF) d. Carlos Drada (UK) 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 – Nathan Overholser (UF) vs. Edo Bawono (UK), not completed
No. 4 – Gustav Pousette (UK) d. Olivier Levant (UF) 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 – Dylan Mann (UF) d. Johan Grunditz (UK) 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 – Troy Hahn (UF) d. Jorge Mario Escallon (UK) 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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