Florida Gators
Central Florida
Men's Tennis Blanks UCF To Begin Dual Season
Thursday, January 23, 2003 | Men's Tennis
The fifth-ranked University of Florida men's tennis team began the 2003 dual season on Thursday with a 7-0 victory over 54th-ranked Central Florida at the Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, Fla. The win marked the first time in six seasons the Gators began the season by shutting out an opponent, it also marked the 15th-straight opening day win for UF as they are 53-6 (.898) all-time in matches that begin a season.
"I thought we did a good job today, but we also showed that we have several areas we have to improve in," said UF head coach Andy Jackson. "I know we are not as bad as we looked at times in the doubles, on the same note UCF is better than they were able to play in the singles today. We have a lot of work to do from here, and today showed us where we need to go."
Florida opened the afternoon by sweeping the three doubles matches, securing the doubles point when seniors Olivier Levant and Eleazar Magallan defeated Augusto Sanabria and Simon Jaeger, 9-7. Levant and Magallan entered the match ranked 37th in the Omni Hotels Preseason Rankings.
UF swept the singles matches as well with four matches lasting just two sets. Hamid Mirzadeh, Eleazar Magallan, Olivier Levant and Troy Hahn each came away with two set victories. It was Mirzadeh, who was playing at the top of the lineup who clinched the win for the Gators with his 6-1, 6-1 decision over Gabriel Strangberg. Both Janne Holmia and Matt Behrmann were taken to three sets. Holmia, ranked 29th in the preseason singles rankings, avoided the upset-minded Catalin Bradu with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 victory, while Behrmann who is ranked 116th overcame Antonio Sierra with a score of 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.
The Gators will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 25 as they host 71st-ranked Furman with matches set to begin at 2 p.m.
NCAA Men's Tennis
Florida 7, UCF 0
Doubles
No. 1 #13 Matt Behrmann/Troy Hahn def. Catalin Bradu/Antonio Sierra, 8-6
No. 2 #37 Olivier Levant/Eleazar Magallan def. Augusto Sanabria/Simon Jaeger, 9-7
No. 3 Hamid Mirzadeh/Janne Holmia def. Gabriel Strangber/Ener Gursoy, 8-4
Singles
No. 1 Hamid Mirzadeh def. Gabriel Strangberg, 6-1, 6-1
No. 2 #29 Janne Holmia def. Catalin Bradu, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
No. 3 #T78 Eleazar Magallan def. Ener Gursoy, 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 #68 Olivier Levant def. Simon Jaeger, 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 Troy Hahn def. Augusto Sanabria, 7-5, 6-1
No. 6 #116 Matt Behrmann def. Antonio Sierra, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5
Numbers preceding names indicate current national rankings
