For the second time this season, the seventh-ranked University of Florida men's tennis team came back from dropping the doubles point as the Gators opened the SEC slate by defeating ninth-ranked LSU, 5-2, on Friday evening Gainesville. With the win, UF moved to 6-4 on the season and stretched its streak to seven straight victories in conference home openers. LSU suffered its second loss of the season in falling to 10-2.
As was the case a season ago in Baton Rouge and earlier this season at Florida State, Florida was forced to battle back after being defeated in doubles. Florida's Jordan Dolberg and Ryan Sherry picked up a win at the bottom of the lineup over Peter Richman and Paul White, 8-6. With the win, the pair improved their record to 7-3 on the season in handing the LSU duo their first loss in a dual match.
One minute later, LSU's fourth-ranked Mark Growcott and Ken Skupski defeated UF's Hamid Mirzadeh and Greg Ouellette on the top court, 8-5. Florida's team fell behind 3-0 before getting as close as 6-5 prior to the top LSU duo pulling away. The outcome was the same on court two as LSU went ahead 1-0 in the match when 37th-ranked Danny Bryan and Jason Hazley overcame 5-3 deficit to defeat Florida's Vladimir Obradovic and Chris Brandi.
LSU increased its lead to 2-0 when Growcott defeated Obradovic on court two, 6-3, 6-2. However, Florida evened the match just as fast when Sherry defeated Paul White on court six 6-4, 6-1 and Mirzadeh defeated Skupski (No. 5 nationally) at the top of the order, 6-4, 7-5. The win was the highest ranked opponent any UF player has defeated this season and came over Skupski who won the SEC Indoor singles championship in January.
Florida newcomer Nestor Briceno put the Gators on top for the first time in the match when he came back from being down 3-0 in the second set against Richman on court four for a 6-3, 6-4 win. The win was Briceno's sixth of the season, which tied for the team lead with Brandi who would later add a victory of his own.
Ouellette provided the clincher on court three with the fifth win over a ranked opponent of his career. After falling in the first set to Hazley, 5-7, Ouellette came back to win the second and third sets, 6-4. Brandi increased UF's lead to 5-2 in a match against Bryan that also went to a third set before the UF junior came out on top, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2.
UF returns to action on Sunday, March 6 at 1 p.m. when the Gators host 38th-ranked Arkansas.
Florida vs. LSU
Singles
Hamid Mirzadeh (UF) def. 5 Ken Skupski (LSU), 6-4, 7-5 Mark Growcott (LSU) def. 59 Vladimir Obradovic (UF), 6-3, 6-2 29 Greg Ouellette (UF) def. 95 Jason Hazley (LSU), 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 Nestor Briceno (UF) def. Peter Richman (LSU), 6-3, 6-4 69 Chris Brandi (UF) def. Danny Bryan (LSU), 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2 Ryan Sherry (UF) def. Paul White (LSU), 6-4, 6-1 Order of Finish – 2, 6, 1, 4, 3, 5
Doubles
4 Mark Growcott/Ken Skupski (LSU) def. Hamid Mirzadeh/Greg Ouellette (UF), 8-5 37 Danny Bryan/Jason Hazley (LSU) def. Chris Brandi/Vladimir Obradovic (UF), 8-5 Jordan Dolberg/Ryan Sherry (UF) def. Peter Richman/Paul White (LSU), 8-6 Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
