Gators Advance to Sweet Sixteen With 4-0 Victory Over No. 29 Miami
Saturday, May 7, 2022 | Men's Tennis
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – For the sixth-consecutive season, the No. 2 Florida Gators advanced to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament with a 4-0 sweep of the No. 29 Miami Hurricanes on Saturday evening at the Ring Tennis Complex. The Gators are now 5-1 all-time against the Hurricanes in the NCAA Tournament.
Florida (25-2) took an early 1-0 lead after winning two of three doubles matches against Miami (17-10) to claim their 20th doubles point in a row.
The No. 5 duo of Sam Riffice and Ben Shelton put up a decisive 6-3 score at court one against Franco Aubone and Juan Martin Jalif to win their fifth-straight match. They move to 17-7 on the season and are 9-1 in their last 10 matches.
Clinching the doubles point was Nate Bonetto and Duarte Vale at court three. Taking on the pairing of Dan Martin and Bojan Jankulovski, the Gators would win, 6-3, for their 12th victory together. This also extends their win streak to six-consecutive matches. No. 65 Andy Andrade and Mattias Siimar were up 5-4 on Benjamin Hannestad and Martin Katz when doubles finished.
The Gators continued to roll in singles play as they won five of six first sets, as well as three singles matches to claim a 4-0 sweep of the Hurricanes.
No. 28 Riffice got the first singles win of the evening after posting a straight-set win, 6-3, 6-0, at court two against Jankulovski. With this win, he moves to 21-5 in the dual match season.
Next was No. 115 Vale, who took on Hannestad at court three. The captain put up a straight-set victory by scores of 6-3 for his eighth-consecutive win to now total 18 singles victories on the season.
Clinching the match for the second day in a row was No. 119 Josh Goodger at court six. Just seconds after Vale won, Goodger defeated Casper Christensen in two by a score of 6-4, 6-4 to collect singles win No. 19 on the year.
The Gators are 25-2 overall and move to 12-0 at home. With this win over the No. 29-ranked Hurricanes, Florida now has 20 ranked victories and are riding a 20-match win streak.
UP NEXT: The Gators move on to the Round of 16 of the NCAA Tournament and will face No. 15 North Carolina on Friday, May 13 at the Ring Tennis Complex.
QUOTEABLES
Head Coach Bryan Shelton
Opening statement…
"It was a great weekend for the Gators. I just want to thank all of our staff, especially Kate Harte. They've done such a good job putting on an event like this. You have eight teams coming in and playing a regional, and she makes sure everyone has a great experience. We're thankful to have someone like that on our staff who just makes everything go smoothly. I want to thank the fans for coming out this weekend as well and just making it special for our players. I would like to also thank Miami for pushing us today. They are a well-coached team. It was a hard-fought match, and I'm fortunate that I have these guys that I have on my squad who just compete so hard every single match. It's tournament time and I think we all know what that means. For us to go out there and execute on a windy day like today and still get the job done, says a lot about the character of this team. I'm just really pleased to get the win and have the ability to host another match next weekend."
On making six-straight Round of 16 appearances…
"I think we do the little things really well. Duarte [Vale] said it better than I can. He talked about the culture, about the way we go to work each day. I think the way that we do things consistently, what we work on, the attention to detail these guys put in, focusing in on the right things that we can control, and if you do those things really well day in and day out, it gives you some margin over the competition. I think that margin allows you to have some consistency with your results. So, we're establishing margin through the day-to-day work that we do and the intentionality in everything that we do. I think we have a really good understanding of what makes a good tennis player - the heart, the legs, the lungs, the things you have to do, and especially the mind - so we work on all those things and try not to neglect anything. What I want these guys to have when they leave here is a full arsenal of skills that are going to help them throughout the rest of their lives. Whether it's their family lives, their personal lives, work life, whether they are playing professionally or becoming a different type of professional... I think those are the things that are really important and I think we create that margin by the way we go about our business and the culture that we have."
On Duarte Vale…
"The depth of character of this young man who was sitting next to me is unreal. You listen to this guy speak – this is not his first language, although he's more eloquent than I am at 56 years old. Then, the depth of his character because there is substance behind his words… They are not just words, you can tell where they are coming from. That doesn't just come out without a whole lot of introspection, a whole lot of things that he's gone through already at a young age. He's a searcher. He's constantly reading, he's constantly looking for more knowledge and information, constantly looking to see how he can better himself and better others around him. I think those are unique, special qualities that this guy has."
Senior Duarte Vale
On expectations coming into the First and Second Rounds of the NCAA Tournament…
"I think we have expectations about how we should compete, how we should approach things mentally and how our look should be as a team. We know that we have enough quality to put four points up before they put one on the board. Our focus has to be on the things we can control. Ultimately, we can't control if we win 7-0, or 4-0, or if we lose a game, but we can compete every point, prepare the right way and respect our opponent. If we do those things, then this will be the result because our team has the quality."
On where this team compares to some of the best teams he has played throughout the years…
"I think we're trying to be the best we can be and that goes with trying to take care of the little things right. Coach says it every day… We can't control a lot of things, so we just really try to focus on what we can control. When we're done – when me, Sam [Riffice], Josh [Goodger], Andy [Andrade] are done – maybe we'll look back and be like, 'Okay, where do we compare against some of these other teams that did great jobs?' But, right now, we have to take care of business because what is ahead of us is not guaranteed, so if we start thinking about those things, odds are, things are going to go wrong for us. So, we're just really focused on match by match."
On playing at court three versus court one…
"Obviously, it took an adjustment in mentality. It's definitely a different feeling and situation. But, I was honestly really happy for Sam and Ben to have the opportunity to play high in the lineup. That's what I kept telling myself instead of just focusing on me. Obviously, I had times where I was like, 'Gosh, I wish I could be playing on center court.' I have those, I'm not going to lie. But, I looked at who was playing there, and I was genuinely really happy for them. Sam was an NCAA champion last year. When I was at one, I didn't hear or feel any resentment toward me, and that could have happened. I'm sure a lot of other players would've tried to sabotage me, but not once did he do that. I think that the only thing I could do was support him, encourage him and be his biggest fan. Same with Ben – the number one player in the country, who has had a tremendous summer and tremendous fall. He beat me in the fall. So, you just have to tip your hat to those guys. I told myself that I just had to work harder, try to be better and try to get closer to those guys, and that's the only thing I can do. It's a team sport. It's about the team, it's not about me… Even though sometimes you're programmed to think that way. I just try to not get myself into those traps and tell myself it's about the team and not about myself."
SINGLES RESULTS
1. #2 Ben Shelton (UF) vs. #62 Dan Martin (UM), 7-5, 1-4, unfinished
2. #28 Sam Riffice (UF) def. Bojan Jankulovski (UM), 6-3, 6-0
3. #115 Duarte Vale (UF) def. Benjamin Hannestad (UM), 6-3, 6-3
4. #117 Andy Andrade (UF) vs. Martin Katz (UM), 7-5, 3-2, unfinished
5. Mattias Siimar (UF) vs. Franco Aubone (UM), 6-7 (1-7), 0-1, unfinished
6. #119 Josh Goodger (UF) def. Casper Christensen (UM), 6-4, 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 6
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. #5 Sam Riffice/Ben Shelton (UF) def. Franco Aubone/Juan Martin Jalif (UM), 6-3
2. #65 Andy Andrade/Mattias Siimar (UF) vs. Benjamin Hannestad/Martin Katz (UM), 5-4, unfinished
3. Nate Bonetto/Duarte Vale (UF) def. Bojan Jankulovski/Dan Martin (UM), 6-3
Order of Finish: 1, 3
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Florida (25-2) took an early 1-0 lead after winning two of three doubles matches against Miami (17-10) to claim their 20th doubles point in a row.
The No. 5 duo of Sam Riffice and Ben Shelton put up a decisive 6-3 score at court one against Franco Aubone and Juan Martin Jalif to win their fifth-straight match. They move to 17-7 on the season and are 9-1 in their last 10 matches.
Clinching the doubles point was Nate Bonetto and Duarte Vale at court three. Taking on the pairing of Dan Martin and Bojan Jankulovski, the Gators would win, 6-3, for their 12th victory together. This also extends their win streak to six-consecutive matches. No. 65 Andy Andrade and Mattias Siimar were up 5-4 on Benjamin Hannestad and Martin Katz when doubles finished.
The Gators continued to roll in singles play as they won five of six first sets, as well as three singles matches to claim a 4-0 sweep of the Hurricanes.
No. 28 Riffice got the first singles win of the evening after posting a straight-set win, 6-3, 6-0, at court two against Jankulovski. With this win, he moves to 21-5 in the dual match season.
Next was No. 115 Vale, who took on Hannestad at court three. The captain put up a straight-set victory by scores of 6-3 for his eighth-consecutive win to now total 18 singles victories on the season.
Clinching the match for the second day in a row was No. 119 Josh Goodger at court six. Just seconds after Vale won, Goodger defeated Casper Christensen in two by a score of 6-4, 6-4 to collect singles win No. 19 on the year.
The Gators are 25-2 overall and move to 12-0 at home. With this win over the No. 29-ranked Hurricanes, Florida now has 20 ranked victories and are riding a 20-match win streak.
UP NEXT: The Gators move on to the Round of 16 of the NCAA Tournament and will face No. 15 North Carolina on Friday, May 13 at the Ring Tennis Complex.
QUOTEABLES
Head Coach Bryan Shelton
Opening statement…
"It was a great weekend for the Gators. I just want to thank all of our staff, especially Kate Harte. They've done such a good job putting on an event like this. You have eight teams coming in and playing a regional, and she makes sure everyone has a great experience. We're thankful to have someone like that on our staff who just makes everything go smoothly. I want to thank the fans for coming out this weekend as well and just making it special for our players. I would like to also thank Miami for pushing us today. They are a well-coached team. It was a hard-fought match, and I'm fortunate that I have these guys that I have on my squad who just compete so hard every single match. It's tournament time and I think we all know what that means. For us to go out there and execute on a windy day like today and still get the job done, says a lot about the character of this team. I'm just really pleased to get the win and have the ability to host another match next weekend."
On making six-straight Round of 16 appearances…
"I think we do the little things really well. Duarte [Vale] said it better than I can. He talked about the culture, about the way we go to work each day. I think the way that we do things consistently, what we work on, the attention to detail these guys put in, focusing in on the right things that we can control, and if you do those things really well day in and day out, it gives you some margin over the competition. I think that margin allows you to have some consistency with your results. So, we're establishing margin through the day-to-day work that we do and the intentionality in everything that we do. I think we have a really good understanding of what makes a good tennis player - the heart, the legs, the lungs, the things you have to do, and especially the mind - so we work on all those things and try not to neglect anything. What I want these guys to have when they leave here is a full arsenal of skills that are going to help them throughout the rest of their lives. Whether it's their family lives, their personal lives, work life, whether they are playing professionally or becoming a different type of professional... I think those are the things that are really important and I think we create that margin by the way we go about our business and the culture that we have."
On Duarte Vale…
"The depth of character of this young man who was sitting next to me is unreal. You listen to this guy speak – this is not his first language, although he's more eloquent than I am at 56 years old. Then, the depth of his character because there is substance behind his words… They are not just words, you can tell where they are coming from. That doesn't just come out without a whole lot of introspection, a whole lot of things that he's gone through already at a young age. He's a searcher. He's constantly reading, he's constantly looking for more knowledge and information, constantly looking to see how he can better himself and better others around him. I think those are unique, special qualities that this guy has."
Senior Duarte Vale
On expectations coming into the First and Second Rounds of the NCAA Tournament…
"I think we have expectations about how we should compete, how we should approach things mentally and how our look should be as a team. We know that we have enough quality to put four points up before they put one on the board. Our focus has to be on the things we can control. Ultimately, we can't control if we win 7-0, or 4-0, or if we lose a game, but we can compete every point, prepare the right way and respect our opponent. If we do those things, then this will be the result because our team has the quality."
On where this team compares to some of the best teams he has played throughout the years…
"I think we're trying to be the best we can be and that goes with trying to take care of the little things right. Coach says it every day… We can't control a lot of things, so we just really try to focus on what we can control. When we're done – when me, Sam [Riffice], Josh [Goodger], Andy [Andrade] are done – maybe we'll look back and be like, 'Okay, where do we compare against some of these other teams that did great jobs?' But, right now, we have to take care of business because what is ahead of us is not guaranteed, so if we start thinking about those things, odds are, things are going to go wrong for us. So, we're just really focused on match by match."
On playing at court three versus court one…
"Obviously, it took an adjustment in mentality. It's definitely a different feeling and situation. But, I was honestly really happy for Sam and Ben to have the opportunity to play high in the lineup. That's what I kept telling myself instead of just focusing on me. Obviously, I had times where I was like, 'Gosh, I wish I could be playing on center court.' I have those, I'm not going to lie. But, I looked at who was playing there, and I was genuinely really happy for them. Sam was an NCAA champion last year. When I was at one, I didn't hear or feel any resentment toward me, and that could have happened. I'm sure a lot of other players would've tried to sabotage me, but not once did he do that. I think that the only thing I could do was support him, encourage him and be his biggest fan. Same with Ben – the number one player in the country, who has had a tremendous summer and tremendous fall. He beat me in the fall. So, you just have to tip your hat to those guys. I told myself that I just had to work harder, try to be better and try to get closer to those guys, and that's the only thing I can do. It's a team sport. It's about the team, it's not about me… Even though sometimes you're programmed to think that way. I just try to not get myself into those traps and tell myself it's about the team and not about myself."
SINGLES RESULTS
1. #2 Ben Shelton (UF) vs. #62 Dan Martin (UM), 7-5, 1-4, unfinished
2. #28 Sam Riffice (UF) def. Bojan Jankulovski (UM), 6-3, 6-0
3. #115 Duarte Vale (UF) def. Benjamin Hannestad (UM), 6-3, 6-3
4. #117 Andy Andrade (UF) vs. Martin Katz (UM), 7-5, 3-2, unfinished
5. Mattias Siimar (UF) vs. Franco Aubone (UM), 6-7 (1-7), 0-1, unfinished
6. #119 Josh Goodger (UF) def. Casper Christensen (UM), 6-4, 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 6
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. #5 Sam Riffice/Ben Shelton (UF) def. Franco Aubone/Juan Martin Jalif (UM), 6-3
2. #65 Andy Andrade/Mattias Siimar (UF) vs. Benjamin Hannestad/Martin Katz (UM), 5-4, unfinished
3. Nate Bonetto/Duarte Vale (UF) def. Bojan Jankulovski/Dan Martin (UM), 6-3
Order of Finish: 1, 3
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Players Mentioned
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