Florida Gators
Georgia
Men?s Tennis Falls Short To No. 1 Georgia, 4-3
Sunday, March 12, 2006 | Men's Tennis
The fifth-ranked University of Florida men's tennis team fell just short in its upset attempt against No. 1 Georgia Sunday afternoon in Athens, Ga. The match came down to a tiebreaker in the third set on court two before the Bulldogs pulled out a 4-3 victory. With the loss, UF slipped to 8-4 on the year and 2-2 in SEC play. Georgia improved its record to 14-0 overall and 4-0 in the league.
Florida got off to a good start when it swept the doubles courts for the third time this season to become the first opponent to take the point from Georgia this year. Dating back to Feb. 21, 2005, Georgia had won 31 of its last 33 doubles points.
Sophomore Nestor Briceno and senior Stefan Tell became the first Gator duo to defeat a ranked doubles team this year when they edged seventh-ranked John Isner and Antonio Ruiz, 9-7, at the top of the order. Last season, Isner and Ruiz claimed the NCAA doubles national championship in College Station, Texas.
Junior Janne Holmia and senior Vladimir Obradovic clinched the 1-0 lead by posting an 8-4 decision against ninth-ranked Strahinja Bobusic and Colin Purcell on court two. On court three, sophomore Greg Ouellette and redshirt senior Chris Brandi held off No. 55 Luis Flores and Matic Omerzel, 9-8, to run their team-leading dual record to 5-0 on the year. In doing so, the Gators became the only team this year to sweep the Bulldogs in doubles.
Singles began with Colin Purcell evening the match with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Ryan Sherry on court six. The loss was the first for the UF senior in his career dual matches against Bulldog players (3-1). Isner gave Georgia its first lead of the afternoon with a straight set 6-4, 6-2 win against Ouellette (No. 39) in a match between the two of the nine players nationally to earn All-America honors in singles and doubles play a season ago.
Obradovic (No. 68) evened the match at two when he won for the fourth time in the last five outings against Antonio Ruiz on court three. Briceno (No. 66) reclaimed the lead for the Gators by snapping Bobusic's (No. 30) 10-match win streak on court four (2-6, 7-5, 6-2).
Omerzel (No. 49) evened the score for the third time by defeating Brandi on court five 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 to force the issue to court two where Holmia was down a break to Flores (No. 29) in the third set (4-2). Holmia reeled off wins in four straight games and the match eventually went into a tiebreaker where Flores posted a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7) victory.
Florida will have the week off before returning to the courts against No. 3 Illinois on Tuesday, March 21 at 3 p.m. in Gainesville.
(5) Florida at (1) Georgia
Athens, Ga.
Singles
1. No. 1 John Isner (UGA) def. No. 39 Greg Ouellette (UF), 6-4, 6-2
2. No 29 Luis Flores (UGA) def Janne Holmia (UF) 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7)
3. No. 68 Vladimir Obradovic (UF) vs. Antonio Ruiz (UGA), 6-3, 7-5
4. No. 66 Nestor Briceno (UF) def. No. 30 Strahinja Bobusic (UGA), 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
5. No. 49 Matic Omerzel (UGA) def. Chris Brandi (UF), 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
6. Colin Purcell (UGA) def. Ryan Sherry (UF), 6-2, 6-3
Order of Finish
Singles: 6, 1, 3, 4, 5, 2
Doubles
1. Nestor Briceno/Stefan Tell (UF) def. No. 7 John Isner/Antonio Ruiz (UGA), 9-7
2. Janne Holmia/Vladimir Obradovic (UF) def. No. 9 Strahinja Bobusic/Colin Purcell (UGA), 8-4^
3. Greg Ouellette/Chris Brandi (UF) def. No. 55 Luis Floris/Matic Omerzel (UGA), 9-8
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 1, 2, 3
^ - Clinched Doubles
* - Clinched Singles
