Sunday, March 6
Lexington, Ky.
1 PM
Florida Gators
4
at
3
Kentucky
Florida Topples No. 9 Kentucky on the Road
Sunday, March 6, 2022 | Men's Tennis
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Freshman Nate Bonetto came up clutch in Sunday's top-10 contest against the No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats, clinching the match at six singles with a straight-set victory over JJ Mercer as the No. 5 Florida Gators defeated the Wildcats, 4-3, in an exciting competition at the Hilary J. Boone Center.
The Gators (9-2, 2-0 SEC) remain undefeated in SEC play after picking up two top-10 wins in the same week for the second time this season, defeating Kentucky (10-4, 1-1 SEC) in a tough match on the road. Two of the Gators' singles matches went into three sets, while three tiebreaker sets were forced in what was almost a four and a half hour contest.
Florida was able to jump out to an early 1-0 lead after winning two doubles matches to start the match against No. 9 Kentucky.
Bonetto and senior Duarte Vale collected their second doubles victory together in just as many matches, this time posting a decisive 6-1 win against Francois Musitelli and Yasha Zemel on court three.
The remaining Gators at courts one and two were both up on their opponents before the duo of Andy Andrade and Mattias Siimar sealed the deal with a 6-3 win over Joshua Lepadat and JJ Mercer at two doubles. When the doubles point was clinched, Gators Sam Riffice and Ben Shelton held the advantage against No. 26 Liam Draxl and Millen Hurrion, 5-4.
In singles, No. 63 Riffice was the first on the board after he totaled his 80th career singles win with a victory at court two. The Orlando native took on Hurrion and won in straight-sets by scores of 6-2.
Kentucky would even the score at two, however, after No. 9 Gabriel Diallo defeated Vale on court three, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, and No. 69 Musitelli beat No. 36 Andrade on court four, 7-5, 7-6 (6).
No. 3 Shelton put up a battle against preseason No. 1 player and 2021 NCAA singles semifinalist, Draxl, on court one. Going down 5-7 in the first set, the sophomore bounced back and won the next two sets with scores of 6-3 and 6-2 to win the match and retake the lead for Florida, 3-2.
Kentucky once again tied the match, this time at 3-all, after No. 90 Lapadat defeated No. 113 Josh Goodger 7-6, 6-1.
It all came down to Bonetto on court six.
The Gator had a tall task ahead facing UK's Mercer, but the freshman never backed down. Bonetto was down 5-2 in the first set, but rallied back to win five of the next six games to force a tiebreaker, before ultimately claiming set one, 7-6 (8).
In the second set, Bonetto went up 5-4, before Mercer came back to tie it at 5-all. With the Wildcat on the serve, the Gator had to break it in order to pull ahead, and that's exactly what he did.
With a 6-5 lead now, the Bend, Ore., native opened up the last game serving an ace for the first point, then winning the next one to go up 30-love. Mercer continued to fight, but Bonetto held his ground, defeating the Wildcat with a second set score of 7-5 and clinching the match for the Gators. With this win, Bonetto went a perfect 4-0 over the weekend in SEC play.
UP NEXT: The Gators travel to Athens, Ga., and Knoxville, Tenn., for matches against Georgia and Tennessee on March 11 and March 13, respectively.
SINGLES RESULTS
1. #3 Ben Shelton (UF) def. Liam Draxl (UK), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
2. #63 Sam Riffice (UF) def. Millen Hurrion (UK), 6-2, 6-2
3. #9 Gabriel Diallo (UK) def. Duarte Vale (UF), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
4. #69 Francois Musitelli (UK) def. #36 Andy Andrade (UF), 7-5, 7-6 (8-6)
5. #90 Joshua Lapadat (UK) def. #113 Josh Goodger (UF), 7-6 (7-0), 6-1
6. Nate Bonetto (UF) def. JJ Mercer (UK), 7-6 (10-8), 7-5
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 4, 1, 5, 6
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. Sam Riffice/Ben Shelton (UF) vs. #26 Liam Draxl/Millen Hurrion (UK), 5-4, unfinished
2. Andy Andrade/Mattias Siimar (UF) def. Joshua Lapadat/JJ Mercer (UK), 6-3
3. Duarte Vale/Nate Bonetto (UF) def. Francois Musitelli/Yasha Zemel (UK), 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 2
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The Gators (9-2, 2-0 SEC) remain undefeated in SEC play after picking up two top-10 wins in the same week for the second time this season, defeating Kentucky (10-4, 1-1 SEC) in a tough match on the road. Two of the Gators' singles matches went into three sets, while three tiebreaker sets were forced in what was almost a four and a half hour contest.
Florida was able to jump out to an early 1-0 lead after winning two doubles matches to start the match against No. 9 Kentucky.
Bonetto and senior Duarte Vale collected their second doubles victory together in just as many matches, this time posting a decisive 6-1 win against Francois Musitelli and Yasha Zemel on court three.
The remaining Gators at courts one and two were both up on their opponents before the duo of Andy Andrade and Mattias Siimar sealed the deal with a 6-3 win over Joshua Lepadat and JJ Mercer at two doubles. When the doubles point was clinched, Gators Sam Riffice and Ben Shelton held the advantage against No. 26 Liam Draxl and Millen Hurrion, 5-4.
In singles, No. 63 Riffice was the first on the board after he totaled his 80th career singles win with a victory at court two. The Orlando native took on Hurrion and won in straight-sets by scores of 6-2.
Kentucky would even the score at two, however, after No. 9 Gabriel Diallo defeated Vale on court three, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, and No. 69 Musitelli beat No. 36 Andrade on court four, 7-5, 7-6 (6).
No. 3 Shelton put up a battle against preseason No. 1 player and 2021 NCAA singles semifinalist, Draxl, on court one. Going down 5-7 in the first set, the sophomore bounced back and won the next two sets with scores of 6-3 and 6-2 to win the match and retake the lead for Florida, 3-2.
Kentucky once again tied the match, this time at 3-all, after No. 90 Lapadat defeated No. 113 Josh Goodger 7-6, 6-1.
It all came down to Bonetto on court six.
The Gator had a tall task ahead facing UK's Mercer, but the freshman never backed down. Bonetto was down 5-2 in the first set, but rallied back to win five of the next six games to force a tiebreaker, before ultimately claiming set one, 7-6 (8).
In the second set, Bonetto went up 5-4, before Mercer came back to tie it at 5-all. With the Wildcat on the serve, the Gator had to break it in order to pull ahead, and that's exactly what he did.
With a 6-5 lead now, the Bend, Ore., native opened up the last game serving an ace for the first point, then winning the next one to go up 30-love. Mercer continued to fight, but Bonetto held his ground, defeating the Wildcat with a second set score of 7-5 and clinching the match for the Gators. With this win, Bonetto went a perfect 4-0 over the weekend in SEC play.
UP NEXT: The Gators travel to Athens, Ga., and Knoxville, Tenn., for matches against Georgia and Tennessee on March 11 and March 13, respectively.
SINGLES RESULTS
1. #3 Ben Shelton (UF) def. Liam Draxl (UK), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
2. #63 Sam Riffice (UF) def. Millen Hurrion (UK), 6-2, 6-2
3. #9 Gabriel Diallo (UK) def. Duarte Vale (UF), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
4. #69 Francois Musitelli (UK) def. #36 Andy Andrade (UF), 7-5, 7-6 (8-6)
5. #90 Joshua Lapadat (UK) def. #113 Josh Goodger (UF), 7-6 (7-0), 6-1
6. Nate Bonetto (UF) def. JJ Mercer (UK), 7-6 (10-8), 7-5
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 4, 1, 5, 6
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. Sam Riffice/Ben Shelton (UF) vs. #26 Liam Draxl/Millen Hurrion (UK), 5-4, unfinished
2. Andy Andrade/Mattias Siimar (UF) def. Joshua Lapadat/JJ Mercer (UK), 6-3
3. Duarte Vale/Nate Bonetto (UF) def. Francois Musitelli/Yasha Zemel (UK), 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 2
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Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2
#1 Singles Match
123
566
Liam Draxl / 0 [UK]
732
#2 Singles Match
12
66
Millen Hurrion / 0 [UK]
22
#3 Singles Match
123
163
Gabriel Diallo / 0 (9/-) [UK]
646
#4 Singles Match
12
56
Francois Musitelli / 0 (69/-) [UK]
77
#5 Singles Match
12
61
Joshua Lapadat / 0 (90/-) [UK]
76
#6 Singles Match
12
77
JJ Mercer / 0 [UK]
65
Order of Finish:
2,3,4,1,5,6
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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