Florida Gators
SEC Indoor - Day 1
Gator Men's Tennis Opens Spring at SEC Indoor Championships
Saturday, January 16, 2010 | Men's Tennis
The University of Florida men's tennis team saw its first action of the spring on Friday, sending three singles competitors and three doubles pairs into the Round of 16 in their respective draws at the SEC Indoor Championships at the Racquet Club of the South in Norcross, Ga.
Junior No. 7 Alexandre Lacroix (Paris, France), sophomore Joey Burkhardt (St. Augustine) and freshman Sekou Bangoura Jr. (Bradenton) will be among the final 16 in the singles draw, all advancing without dropping a set. Burkhardt and Bangoura swept through the first two rounds, including a win by Burkhardt over 49th-ranked Tucker Vorster of Ole Miss, while Lacroix received a first-round bye as the tournament's No. 2 seed and won his second-round match in straight sets.
Freshmen Nassim Slilam (Paris, France) and Bob Van Overbeek (Boca Raton) each won their first-round contest before falling in the second-round. Senior Antoine Benneteau (Boulogne-Billancourt, France) and freshman Billy Federhofer (North Miami) each fell short in the opening round.
In doubles action, Bangoura and Burkhardt advanced along with Federhofer and Van Overbeek, both posting wins in their opener on Friday. Benneteau and Lacroix, the No. 10 tandem in the nation, received a first-round bye in the doubles draw as the No. 3 seed and will appear in the Round of 16, as well.
Friday marked the first career appearance as a Gator by Bangoura, Slilam and Van Overbeek.
Play resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday, beginning with the singles consolation draw.
Friday results (UF only)
Singles – Round of 64
Sekou Bangoura Jr. (UF) def. Jarryd Botha (Alabama) – 7-6(3), 6-2
Louis Cant (Mississippi State) def. Antoine Benneteau (UF) – 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Joey Burkhardt (UF) def. Roger Anderson (LSU) – 6-1, 6-4
Christian Vitulli (Georgia) def. Billy Federhofer (UF) – 6-3, 7-6(5)
Nassim Slilam (UF) def. Hrehan Hakeen (Mississippi State) – 6-3, 6-1
Bob Van Overbeek (UF) def. Stefan Szacinski (LSU) – 7-6(2), 6-3
Singles – Round of 32
Sekou Bangoura Jr. (UF) def. Juien Gauthier (LSU) – 6-2, 6-1
Joey Burkhardt (UF) def. (49) Tucker Vorster (Ole Miss) – 6-4, 6-4
(7) Alexandre Lacroix (UF) def. Mark Bowtell (LSU) – 6-2, 6-3
Jamie Hunt (Georgia) def. Nassim Slilam (UF) – 6-0, 6-2
(61) Marcel Thiemann (Ole Miss) def. Bob Van Overbeek (UF) – 7-6(3), 6-4
Doubles – Round of 32
Bangoura/Burkhardt (UF) def. Gregor/Hakeem (Mississippi State) – 8-6
Federhofer/Van Overbeek (UF) def. Skogeng/Vazquez (Ole Miss) – 9-8(6)
Saturday matchups
Singles – Round of 16
Sekou Bangoura Jr. (UF) vs. Bo Seal (Georgia)
Joey Burkhardt (UF) vs. Davey Sandgren (Tennessee)
(7) Alexandre Lacroix (UF) vs. (68) Boris Conkic (Tennessee)
Doubles – Round of 16
Bangoura/Burkhardt (UF) vs. (9) Quigley/Cox (Kentucky)
(10) Benneteau/Lacroix (UF) vs. Carlsson/Gauthier (LSU)
Federhofer/Van Overbeek (UF) vs. Hunt/Schnugg (Georgia)
Singles – Consolation Round of 32
Billy Federhofer (UF) vs. Chris Thiemann (Ole Miss)
Singles – Consolation Round of 16
Antoine Benneteau (UF) vs. Brad Cox (Kentucky)
-UF-
