Thursday, March 16
Oxford, MS / Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center
4 PM
Florida Gators
5
at
2
Ole Miss
Lukas Greif clinched his third match of the season with a win in straights on court six. (Photo by: Reed Jones)
No. 26 Florida Bounces Back with Big Victory at Ole Miss
Thursday, March 16, 2023 | Men's Tennis
The Gators snatched the doubles point and won four singles matches for the 5-2 victory in Oxford.
OXFORD, Miss. – The No. 26 Florida men's tennis team went into enemy territory and handed No. 30 Ole Miss their first loss in the Southeastern Conference, 5-2, at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center on Thursday afternoon.
The Gators (7-7, 2-2 SEC) knew they were in for a tight match with the Rebels (12-3, 2-1 SEC) immediately, as the doubles competition was neck-and-neck on court one and two. Yet, Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif were putting tremendous pressure on Isac Stromberg/Noah Schlagenhauf on court three. By converting three breaks, the Gators pair cruised to a 6-3 victory.
After No. 18 Will Grant/Axel Nefve fell to No. 59 Lukas Engelhardt/Nikola Slavic, 6-3, on court one, Nate Bonetto/Tanapatt Nirundorn stepped up to the challenge on court two for the third straight match. Florida's tandem clinched the doubles point once again by converting a break on John Hallquist Lithen/Simon Junk's serve at 5-4 to claim the match.
Florida stormed on into singles play by snatching five first sets and the initial point for the 2-0 lead came by retirement on court three, as Simon Junk was forced to retire down 5-1 to No. 79 Braswell. Returning to the lineup for the first time since Feb. 19, Togan Tokac never trailed against Isac Stromberg and breezed by 6-3, 6-1 for the first SEC victory of the Turkey native's career.
On the next court over, Lukas Greif delivered the match clincher from court six in dominant fashion. After dropping only one game in the opening frame to Gordon Whitwell, 6-1, the senior remained in control in the second. Greif delivered the finishing blow for the third time this season by breaking Whitwell's serve to win the second frame 6-3 for his second straight victory from the six position.
Ole Miss returned with wins at court one and four, as No. 103 Nefve faced his 10th ranked player of the season in No. 69 Slavic, but lost 6-4, 6-3. Olek Orlikowski played his first match at the four position and took the opening set 7-6 (2), before losing the next set 6-3 to Lukas Engelhardt and dropping the 10-point tiebreak 10-4 in place of a third set.
No. 72 Grant completed the 5-2 road win in a hard-fought battle with John Hallquist Lithen in straights. Winning the final two games for a 7-5 first set, the junior was down 5-1 in the following frame, but was undeterred. The Boca Raton, Fla. native won six of the next seven games securing another 7-5 set.
The Gators continue their road trip in Nashville Saturday with the No. 61 Vanderbilt Commodores at noon ET.
QUOTES FROM THE COURT
Associate Head Coach Mat Cloer
On earning the doubles point for the third straight match…
"I think it's always great to get that doubles point. You can carry that momentum into singles and we've been doing a great job starting well in doubles. All three teams are really competing well, so it's always really important, and a great job by the guys today."
On what it means to bounce back with a road win…
"Credit to the guys and how they've bounced back and prepared and really improved since Sunday. It's a big win for us on the road and a great job by the team today."
On what the team needs to do against Vanderbilt to finish the road trip 2-0...
"We have to get better in practice tomorrow. Continue with the energy that we've been practicing with and working on all the things they know to work on. Continue being a strong team together and Vandy is going to be tough, so we need to put our best foot forward and be ready to compete and bring the right energy."
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. No. 59 Lukas Engelhardt/Nikola Slavic (Ole Miss) def. No. 18 Will Grant/Axel Nefve (UF), 6-3
2. Nate Bonetto/Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF) def. John Hallquist Lithen/Simon Junk (Ole Miss), 6-4
3. Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif (UF) def. Isac Stromberg/Noah Schlagenhauf (Ole Miss), 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
SINGLES RESULTS
1. 69 Nikola Slavic (Ole Miss) def. No. 103 Axel Nefve (UF), 6-4, 6-3
2. No. 72 Will Grant (UF) def. John Hallquist Lithen (Ole Miss), 7-5, 7-5
3. No. 79 Jonah Braswell (UF) def. Simon Junk (Ole Miss), 5-1 (retired)
4. Lukas Engelhardt (Ole Miss) def. Olek Orlikowski (UF), 6-7 (2), 6-3, 10-4
5. Togan Tokac (UF) def. Isac Stromberg (Ole Miss), 6-3, 6-1
6. Lukas Greif (UF) def. Gordon Whitwell (Ole Miss), 6-1, 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 5, 6, 1, 4, 2
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The Gators (7-7, 2-2 SEC) knew they were in for a tight match with the Rebels (12-3, 2-1 SEC) immediately, as the doubles competition was neck-and-neck on court one and two. Yet, Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif were putting tremendous pressure on Isac Stromberg/Noah Schlagenhauf on court three. By converting three breaks, the Gators pair cruised to a 6-3 victory.
After No. 18 Will Grant/Axel Nefve fell to No. 59 Lukas Engelhardt/Nikola Slavic, 6-3, on court one, Nate Bonetto/Tanapatt Nirundorn stepped up to the challenge on court two for the third straight match. Florida's tandem clinched the doubles point once again by converting a break on John Hallquist Lithen/Simon Junk's serve at 5-4 to claim the match.
Florida stormed on into singles play by snatching five first sets and the initial point for the 2-0 lead came by retirement on court three, as Simon Junk was forced to retire down 5-1 to No. 79 Braswell. Returning to the lineup for the first time since Feb. 19, Togan Tokac never trailed against Isac Stromberg and breezed by 6-3, 6-1 for the first SEC victory of the Turkey native's career.
On the next court over, Lukas Greif delivered the match clincher from court six in dominant fashion. After dropping only one game in the opening frame to Gordon Whitwell, 6-1, the senior remained in control in the second. Greif delivered the finishing blow for the third time this season by breaking Whitwell's serve to win the second frame 6-3 for his second straight victory from the six position.
Ole Miss returned with wins at court one and four, as No. 103 Nefve faced his 10th ranked player of the season in No. 69 Slavic, but lost 6-4, 6-3. Olek Orlikowski played his first match at the four position and took the opening set 7-6 (2), before losing the next set 6-3 to Lukas Engelhardt and dropping the 10-point tiebreak 10-4 in place of a third set.
No. 72 Grant completed the 5-2 road win in a hard-fought battle with John Hallquist Lithen in straights. Winning the final two games for a 7-5 first set, the junior was down 5-1 in the following frame, but was undeterred. The Boca Raton, Fla. native won six of the next seven games securing another 7-5 set.
The Gators continue their road trip in Nashville Saturday with the No. 61 Vanderbilt Commodores at noon ET.
QUOTES FROM THE COURT
Associate Head Coach Mat Cloer
On earning the doubles point for the third straight match…
"I think it's always great to get that doubles point. You can carry that momentum into singles and we've been doing a great job starting well in doubles. All three teams are really competing well, so it's always really important, and a great job by the guys today."
On what it means to bounce back with a road win…
"Credit to the guys and how they've bounced back and prepared and really improved since Sunday. It's a big win for us on the road and a great job by the team today."
On what the team needs to do against Vanderbilt to finish the road trip 2-0...
"We have to get better in practice tomorrow. Continue with the energy that we've been practicing with and working on all the things they know to work on. Continue being a strong team together and Vandy is going to be tough, so we need to put our best foot forward and be ready to compete and bring the right energy."
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. No. 59 Lukas Engelhardt/Nikola Slavic (Ole Miss) def. No. 18 Will Grant/Axel Nefve (UF), 6-3
2. Nate Bonetto/Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF) def. John Hallquist Lithen/Simon Junk (Ole Miss), 6-4
3. Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif (UF) def. Isac Stromberg/Noah Schlagenhauf (Ole Miss), 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
SINGLES RESULTS
1. 69 Nikola Slavic (Ole Miss) def. No. 103 Axel Nefve (UF), 6-4, 6-3
2. No. 72 Will Grant (UF) def. John Hallquist Lithen (Ole Miss), 7-5, 7-5
3. No. 79 Jonah Braswell (UF) def. Simon Junk (Ole Miss), 5-1 (retired)
4. Lukas Engelhardt (Ole Miss) def. Olek Orlikowski (UF), 6-7 (2), 6-3, 10-4
5. Togan Tokac (UF) def. Isac Stromberg (Ole Miss), 6-3, 6-1
6. Lukas Greif (UF) def. Gordon Whitwell (Ole Miss), 6-1, 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 5, 6, 1, 4, 2
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Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1,2
#1 Singles Match
12
43
Nikola Slavic / 0 (69/-) [OM]
66
#2 Singles Match
12
77
J. Hallquist Lithen / 0 [OM]
55
#3 Singles Match
12
5WR
Simon Junk / 0 [OM]
10
#4 Singles Match
123
730
Lukas Engelhardt / 0 [OM]
661
#5 Singles Match
12
66
Isac Stromberg / 0 [OM]
31
#6 Singles Match
12
66
Gordon Whitwell / 0 [OM]
13
Order of Finish:
3,5,6,1,4,2
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
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