Sunday, January 15
Gainesville, FL
12 PM
Florida Gators
vs
Texas
No. 13 Gators to Host No. 8 Texas for 2023 Season Opener
Saturday, January 14, 2023 | Men's Tennis
Florida and Texas will square up in Gainesville for the first time in exactly three years.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The thirteenth-ranked Florida men's tennis team is set to host No. 8 Texas in its home opener Sunday, Jan. 15 at 12 p.m. This will be the first time hosting the Longhorns since exactly three years ago on Jan. 15, 2020.
In 2022, the Gators split its matchup against Texas with a 4-3 win in Austin on Jan. 16 before losing its first round meeting 4-3 at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Seattle on Feb. 18.
With head coach Bryan Shelton at the helm, the Gators are 9-1 in season openers dating back to his first season with Florida in 2013. This is the second consecutive year Florida will start the season facing a top-10 opponent after coming up short against No. 5 TCU in last season's opener.
For the first time since 2008, Florida will sport five freshmen on the 2023 roster: Jonah Braswell, Tanapatt Nirundorn, Olek Orlikowski, Togan Tokac and Borys Zgola. Under Shelton, the most freshmen previously on a roster was four during the 2014 season.
Leading the freshmen quintet are returners Nate Bonetto, Will Grant and Lukas Greif, as well as graduate transfer Axel Nefve. The trio of returners contributed 10 dual singles wins in 2022 with Bonetto's seven leading the way. Nefve had a stellar career at Notre Dame where he earned 49 dual singles wins and was a three-time NCAA qualifier as an individual.
GATORS IN THE RANKINGS
Doubles
No. 10 Tanapatt Nirundorn/Togan Tokac
No. 37 Nate Bonetto/Axel Nefve
No. 43 Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif
Singles
No. 51 Nate Bonetto
No. 93 Jonah Braswell
SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS
No. 8 Texas (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) | 2022: 18-11, 3-2 Big 12
Ranked the No. 8 team in the country by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, Texas returns nine of its 10 players from the 2022 roster that reached the NCAA Championships Round of 16. A trip to Coral Gables, Fla. for the Miami Spring Invite opened its 2023 season where notably No. 3 Eliot Spizzirri went 3-0 with two ranked wins and Pierre-Yves Bailly defeated top-ranked Ethan Quinn from Georgia.
Texas is led by Bruce Berque, who previously served as assistant coach at Florida from 1990-96. Berque returns to Gainesville for the second time as the Longhorn's head coach.
A familiar face plays for Texas as junior Micah Braswell is the older brother of Florida freshman, Jonah. Micah and Jonah's rankings are No. 30 and No. 93, respectively, in the ITA Collegiate Top 125.
During the fall season, three Gators faced members of Texas. Bonetto fell to Siem Woldeab, 6-1, 6-2 at the Commodore Invitational. Nefve defeated Nevin Arimilli 6-2, 6-1 at the Commodore Invitational. Greif beat Evin McDonald 6-3, 6-4 at the ITA All-American Prequalifying.
LONGHORNS IN THE RANKINGS
Doubles
No. 7 Cleeve Harper/Eliot Spizzirri
Singles
No. 3 Eliot Spizzirri
No. 13 Siem Woldeab
No. 30 Micah Braswell
No. 104 Evin McDonald
TUNE IN
Florida matches are available to watch on PlaySight, while fans can also follow the live stats link during the match.
ATTENDANCE/PARKING
Admission into the event is free. Parking will be available in the green lot at the tennis complex.
The first 100 fans in attendance will receive tailgate aprons. Both fans and students will receive a t-shirt.
Access to the tennis building or the court is not permitted for any patrons.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
In 2022, the Gators split its matchup against Texas with a 4-3 win in Austin on Jan. 16 before losing its first round meeting 4-3 at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Seattle on Feb. 18.
With head coach Bryan Shelton at the helm, the Gators are 9-1 in season openers dating back to his first season with Florida in 2013. This is the second consecutive year Florida will start the season facing a top-10 opponent after coming up short against No. 5 TCU in last season's opener.
For the first time since 2008, Florida will sport five freshmen on the 2023 roster: Jonah Braswell, Tanapatt Nirundorn, Olek Orlikowski, Togan Tokac and Borys Zgola. Under Shelton, the most freshmen previously on a roster was four during the 2014 season.
Leading the freshmen quintet are returners Nate Bonetto, Will Grant and Lukas Greif, as well as graduate transfer Axel Nefve. The trio of returners contributed 10 dual singles wins in 2022 with Bonetto's seven leading the way. Nefve had a stellar career at Notre Dame where he earned 49 dual singles wins and was a three-time NCAA qualifier as an individual.
GATORS IN THE RANKINGS
Doubles
No. 10 Tanapatt Nirundorn/Togan Tokac
No. 37 Nate Bonetto/Axel Nefve
No. 43 Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif
Singles
No. 51 Nate Bonetto
No. 93 Jonah Braswell
SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS
No. 8 Texas (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) | 2022: 18-11, 3-2 Big 12
Ranked the No. 8 team in the country by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, Texas returns nine of its 10 players from the 2022 roster that reached the NCAA Championships Round of 16. A trip to Coral Gables, Fla. for the Miami Spring Invite opened its 2023 season where notably No. 3 Eliot Spizzirri went 3-0 with two ranked wins and Pierre-Yves Bailly defeated top-ranked Ethan Quinn from Georgia.
Texas is led by Bruce Berque, who previously served as assistant coach at Florida from 1990-96. Berque returns to Gainesville for the second time as the Longhorn's head coach.
A familiar face plays for Texas as junior Micah Braswell is the older brother of Florida freshman, Jonah. Micah and Jonah's rankings are No. 30 and No. 93, respectively, in the ITA Collegiate Top 125.
During the fall season, three Gators faced members of Texas. Bonetto fell to Siem Woldeab, 6-1, 6-2 at the Commodore Invitational. Nefve defeated Nevin Arimilli 6-2, 6-1 at the Commodore Invitational. Greif beat Evin McDonald 6-3, 6-4 at the ITA All-American Prequalifying.
LONGHORNS IN THE RANKINGS
Doubles
No. 7 Cleeve Harper/Eliot Spizzirri
Singles
No. 3 Eliot Spizzirri
No. 13 Siem Woldeab
No. 30 Micah Braswell
No. 104 Evin McDonald
TUNE IN
Florida matches are available to watch on PlaySight, while fans can also follow the live stats link during the match.
ATTENDANCE/PARKING
Admission into the event is free. Parking will be available in the green lot at the tennis complex.
The first 100 fans in attendance will receive tailgate aprons. Both fans and students will receive a t-shirt.
Access to the tennis building or the court is not permitted for any patrons.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
Inside Florida Gators Men's Tennis
Wednesday, July 17
One-on-One with Coach Steinberg 3-7-24
Thursday, March 07
Bryan Shelton Postmatch 2-2-23
Saturday, February 04
Jonah Braswell Postmatch 2-2-23
Saturday, February 04
