GAINESVILLE, Fla. – After a two-week intermission in preparing for Southeastern Conference competition, the No. 6-ranked University of Florida men's tennis team returns to action this weekend hosting a pair of conference foes in No. 27 Alabama (9-3) and Auburn (9-6), in addition to a nonconference matchup against Mercer (3-8) on Sunday afternoon at the Alfred A. Ring Complex. Florida (11-2) opens the weekend slate with the 27
th-ranked Crimson Tide at 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, followed by a pair of Sunday doubleheaders (Mar. 1) with Auburn (12 p.m.) and Mercer (3:30 p.m.).
The Gators enter the weekend still slotted No. 6 in the
Oracle/ITA Team rankings released on Tuesday, while also remaining in the top five of the
Tennis Channel/USTA Top 25 at No. 4.
UF gears up for the SEC gauntlet after an exceptional start to the season in tallying 11 nonconference wins, including a pair over top-10 ranked opponents. The Gators' 11 wins are the most earned in a season prior to entering conference play, as UF is currently tied with No. 10 Tennessee for the most wins amongst the league up to this point. This year's contingent has set the bar high in looking to earn its second consecutive SEC title, as the Gators achieved its best conference record of all time in 2019, going a perfect 12-0 en route to its first SEC regular season title since 2005.
Coming off a solid 2-1 outing in Madison, Wis., at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships (Feb. 14-17), UF has displayed its strengths, corralling 50 wins out of 62 singles matches while boasting a 23-5 mark in doubles play on the season thus far. UF's lone losses on the year come to top-five opponents (Texas, UNC), as Florida has only let up just five points, outscoring opponents 59-5, through its 11 wins.
Sophomore co-captain No. 4
Sam Riffice - UF's highest ranked individual - holds a 7-2 overall record, with a 5-1 mark primarily from the No. 2 position. Junior co-captain No. 18
Oliver Crawford hopped back into the top 20 of the ITA Individual rankings with a 4-2 mark at the top spot, as all four of Crawford's wins on the year come over top-80 ranked opponents – with the most recent coming over Columbia's then-No. 20 Jack Lin.
Junior
Duarte Vale, ranked 21
st nationally, leads the team in singles with a 10-2 overall record, primarily coming from the No. 3 position (6-2), while classmate No. 84
Andy Andrade returned back into the top 90 of the ITA rankings last week, riding a five-match win streak to hold a 6-1 overall record and 4-1 mark from the No. 4 position. Junior
Josh Goodger additionally sits at 6-2 on the year, undefeated at the No. 4 position (4-0) while most recently picking up a win at the No. 5 position. Senior
Johannes Ingildsen holds a 5-1 record on the year, undefeated at the No. 6 position (3-0), as Ingildsen is just three singles wins shy of 100 for his career – which could potentially be achieved this weekend.
Freshman No. 90
Blaise Bicknell sits at 5-0 on the year, with three wins from the No. 6 position, in addition to wins at No. 4 and No. 5 singles, while
last week's SEC Player of the Week No. 108 Lukas Greif rides a five-match win streak to boast a 6-2 record, with a trio of wins coming from both the No. 5 and No. 6 positions.
Despite UF's program-leading doubles point streak coming to an end at 11 matches, the Gators' doubles play has seen significant improvement from last year's production at this point in the season.
UF's 14
th-ranked No. 1 duo of Crawford and Riffice look to rebound this weekend, holding a 6-2 record, after suffering consecutive losses at ITA National Indoors. No. 33-ranked
Johannes Ingildsen and
Will Grant continue their stellar play in No. 2 doubles, possessing a 7-1 record while having won their past five consecutive matches. Similar to Crawford and Riffice, No. 3 duo of
Duarte Vale and
Josh Goodger will also look to return to the win column, at 7-2 on the year, after suffering consecutive losses in Madison, Wis.
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
No. 27 Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3, 0-0 SEC)
The Crimson Tide enter SEC play sitting within the top 30 of the ITA National Team rankings, propelling up 21 spots from its previous No. 48 ranking after a championship appearance at the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic last weekend. Alabama corralled a pair of top 50 wins over then-No. 21 Texas Tech and then-No. 46 Arizona prior to narrowly falling to then-No. 20 Ole Miss, 4-3, in the Blue Gray Championship. The Crimson Tide are led by No. 80 Edson Ortiz (6-3, No. 1) and No. 125 Riccardo Roberto (5-1, No. 3), though, they receive solid contributions throughout the lineup from Zhe Zhou, Patrick Kaukovalta, Alexey Nesterov and Jeremy Gschwendtner. Last year, Alabama finished the regular season ninth in the SEC, while falling to the Gators in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.
- Series History: 42-20, UF leads (8-0 under Bryan Shelton)
- Last Meeting: April, 19, 2019 in Gainesville – W, 4-1
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Auburn Tigers (9-6, 0-0 SEC)
After finishing the 2019 season 0-12 in SEC play and receiving an early first-round departure in the SEC Tournament, the Tigers have rebounded fairly well in 2020, formerly slotted within the top 50 at No. 44 in the nation, though, a three-match skid has dropped them out of the ITA national rankings. Auburn has shown their capability with a pair of quality wins over Clemson and VCU – who are now ranked No. 40 and No. 50 respectively – as the Tigers look to their six returners to lead them through the 2020 season. Despite a 3-5 start to the season at the top spot, senior Tim Dollman – ITA Southern Regional singles finalist – is the leader of an Auburn team who receives contributions from the bottom of the lineup in Tom Wright (No. 3), Spencer Gray (No. 4) and Finn Murgett (No. 5). Additionally, the Tigers pose a competitive threat in doubles action, as Auburn has won 27 of 37 doubles matches on the season.
The Tigers will travel to face No. 23 South Carolina on Friday, Feb. 28, prior to Sunday's matches.
- Series History: 45-15, UF leads (6-1 under Bryan Shelton)
- Last Meeting: April 7, 2019 in Auburn, Ala. – W, 6-1
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Mercer Bears (3-8, 0-0 SoCon)
The Gators prepare to face the Mercer Bears for the first time in over 50 years for a regional matchup, as Mercer enters Sunday's matchup holding wins over Oral Roberts, Presbyterian and Alabama A&M. The Bears – annual contenders in the Southern Conference - are led by Oliver Stuart, who's ranked within the ITA's top 50 at No. 46, at the top spot. Mercer also receives contributions throughout the lineup from Hugo Lobo, Lucas Wayenburg and Carver Arant. The Bears will host North Florida on Friday, Feb. 28, in Macon, Ga. prior to traveling to Gainesville for Sunday's match.
- Series History: 11-0, UF leads (First meeting under Bryan Shelton)
- Last Meeting: April 22, 1961 in Gainesville – W, 9-0 under Bill Potter
MATCH INFORMATION
- Venue: Alfred A. Ring Complex
- Friday, Feb. 28
- Sunday, Mar. 1
- Auburn – 12 p.m.
- Mercer – 3:30 p.m.
- Live Stats
- Live Video
