Florida Gators
Georgia Tech (ITA Kick-Off Weekend)
Men's Tennis Blanks Georgia Tech, Advances to ITA National Team Indoor Championships
Sunday, January 31, 2010 | Men's Tennis
The University of Florida's 11th-ranked men's tennis team closed out the ITA Kick-Off Weekend on Sunday with a 7-0 victory over Georgia Tech at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex. The victory places the Gators among the 16-team field that will compete at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Charlottesville, Va., from Feb. 12-15.
“We're really excited to be in the Round of 16,” UF head coach Andy Jackson said. “We know Georgia Tech is capable of beating us, so we're excited that we beat them. I told our team that I really believe Georgia Tech will be in the top 20 by the end of the year.”
The Gators began strong, earning the doubles point. Billy Federhofer and Bob Van Overbeek needed just 40 minutes to take down Miguel Muguruza and Juan Spir at No. 3 doubles, 8-4. The 10th-ranked duo of Antoine Benneteau and Alexandre Lacroix wrapped up doubles with their own 8-4 victory over Guillermo Gomez and Ryan Smith. The No. 2 doubles match was abandoned after Florida clinched the point.
The victory on court three was the first in dual match play for the pair of freshmen.
“They've played well in practice for the past three weeks, but have played, in their own words, very poorly in matches,” Jackson said. “For them to play in a match the way they have been in practice was a huge boost for us.”
With the doubles point in hand, the top-10 matchup on first-court singles was cut short when No. 4 Gomez, who was battling an ankle injury, retired while trailing No. 7 Lacroix, 6-1, 3-1.
“It was unfortunate the match ended that way, but it's also a credit to Alex,” Jackson said. “He was playing very physical today.”
UF picked up the table-setter from Van Overbeek, who shut down Dean O'Brien at No. 3, 6-3, 6-1. Benneteau then provided the clincher, rolling past No. 112 Dusan Miljevic, 6-0, 6-2, on court No. 5. With that victory, Benneteau remains a perfect 4-0 in dual match play, including 3-0 in the fifth position and 1-0 at No. 4.
“We have a lot of fighting spirit,” Benneteau said. “Even the new guys on the team are showing that. They've shown they can play for a top-10 team.”
Benneteau also acknowledged the level of play he is maintaining.
“I've been practicing well since I got back from winter break,” he explained. “I just need to keep putting things together from practice. I feel really fit right now, which I wasn't for much of last year, so I feel like I can play to the fullest of my ability. But there is always room to keep working and improving. That's the beauty of tennis.”
Following Benneteau, the Gators continued to roll, picking up the final three singles matches for a clean sweep. Nassim Slilam handled Magin Ortiga, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 6, while Joey Burkhardt fought off two match points from Murguruza to stay spotless at singles through four dual matches, winning 6-0, 5-7, 1-0 (11-9). The day wrapped with Sekou Bangoura Jr.'s three-set victory over Eliot Potvin at No. 2.
“Joey and Antoine are giving us great stability to get our young guys experience,” Jackson noted. “Of course, Alex is doing great at the No. 1 position, and those other two guys are really doing a superior job right now. Half our team has experience and the other half really doesn't. The half with experience are showing the way for us right now.”
The Gators host Florida Atlantic on Sat., Feb. 6 at 1 p.m., before competing in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships.
“We'll have three, maybe four matches against some of the best teams in the country,” Benneteau observed. “It will be a good chance to see what we have.”
UF vs. Georgia Tech
Doubles
No. 1 – (10) Benneteau/Lacroix (UF) def. Gomez/Smith (GT) – 8-4* (:40)
No. 2 – Bangoura/Burkhardt (UF) vs. O'Brien/Potvin (GT) – 5-5 DNF
No. 3 – Federhofer/Van Overbeek (UF) def. Muguruza/Spir (GT) – 8-4 (:51)
Order of Finish: 3, 1
Singles
No. 1 – (7) Alexandre Lacroix (UF) def. (4) Guillermo Gomez – 6-1, 3-1 ret. (:47)
No. 2 – Sekou Bangoura Jr. (UF) def. Eliot Potvin (GT) – 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 (1:51)
No. 3 – Bob Van Overbeek (UF) def. Dean O'Brien (GT) – 6-3, 6-1 (1:06)
No. 4 – Joey Burkhardt (UF) def. Miguel Muguruza (GT) – 6-0, 5-7, 1-0 (11-9) (1:46)
No. 5 – Antoine Benneteau (UF) def. def. (112) Dusan Miljevic (GT) – 6-0, 6-2* (1:11)
No. 6 – Nassim Slilam (UF) def. Magin Ortiga (GT) – 6-3, 6-3 (1:24)
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 5, 6, 4, 2
-UF-
