GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On Friday night at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex, the No. 22 Florida Gators showcased dominant tennis for their third consecutive SEC victory, beating No. 55 Arkansas, 6-1.
 
Friday's match started with an intense double's competition. Florida (9-7, 4-2 SEC) quickly jumped out to an advantage over Arkansas (12-7, 0-5 SEC), as all three courts were up a break halfway through their matches. Leading the charge from the third doubles spot was Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif, as the pair was initially tied 2-2 until breaking Foster Rogers/Jake Sweeney's serve for their first lead. Braswell/Greif would go on to win the next three points for the 6-2 victory improving their winning streak to four matches.
 
With both courts one and two serving up 5-4, No. 29 Will Grant/Axel Nefve and Nate Bonetto/Tanapatt Nirundorn were in a race to clinch the doubles point for Florida. Grant/Nefve beat their fellow Gators to the punch and brought down Adrien Burdet/Melvin Manuel 6-4, giving UF a 1-0 lead overall. Florida's tandem converted on two break opportunities in the match on court one and snapped a two-match losing streak.
 
Requiring three singles victories to secure the match, Togan Tokac got the Gators going on court six. Squaring up against Oscar Pinto, the freshman converted a break early, but Pinto brought the first set to 4-4. Tokac won the next two games securing the opener, 6-4, and lost just one game in the second to win 6-1. When playing in the six position, the native of Turkey now holds a 4-1 record.
 
On court five, Greif continued to dominate his matches, padding on the overall lead 3-0. Initially down 4-3 to Gerard Planelles in the first frame, the senior won three straight games to close out the first set, 6-4. Greif pulled away immediately in the second by grabbing the first three games and sealed the set 6-1. With the straight set victory, Greif hasn't dropped a set in four consecutive matches.
 
For the first time this season, playing clincher was No. 81 Grant on court two and added his team-high fifth win in SEC play. Finding himself in an early 2-0 hole against Manuel, Grant answered with four straight games of his own. Yet, Manuel rallied to a 5-4 lead, however, Grant wasn't bothered and finished the first set on top, 7-5. Back-and-forth efforts continued in the second, but the junior pulled away from the 4-4 gridlock to clinch the match, 6-4.
 
At the top position, No. 70 Nefve was squared up against Stefanos Savva in a gritty dogfight. Trailing 5-4 at deuce point, Nefve escaped trouble as Savva double-faulted and handed Nefve the game. From there, the graduate student won the final two games and earned the first 7-5. Nefve saved two set points again in the second to force a tiebreak, but Savva pulled out the breaker 7-3. In the 10-point tiebreak for the final set, the Delray Beach, Fla. native blew by Savva, 10-7, to complete the triumph.
 
After Arkansas picked up their lone point on court four in a tough three-setter, No. 97 Braswell bounced back from a difficult opening first set to provide Florida their sixth and final point of the match. Dropping the first set 6-3 to Burdet, the freshman won the last two games of the second for the 7-5 set win and sent the match to a deciding 10-point tiebreaker. It was all Braswell from there, as the Sarasota, Fla. native lost just two points and completed the comeback victory, 10-2.
 
Florida has won 34 of 36 meetings against Arkansas and improved to 16-0 against the Razorbacks in Gainesville. Additionally, Florida is 8-1 in the series under Head Coach Bryan Shelton.
 
The Gators will be back in action on Sunday, March 26, when they welcome No. 18 Auburn to Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex for a noon ET matchup. Auburn will enter Gainesville coming off a comeback win at No. 4 South Carolina, 4-3.
 
QUOTES FROM THE COURT
Associate Head Coach Mat Cloer
On overcoming Arkansas in doubles for the early lead…
"I think overall our guys really competed well. We weathered some ups and downs, but very proud with how the team competed and stayed with it starting with the doubles. It's always great to get that lead and we were able to battle some storms."
 
On the slow start to singles, but bouncing back to win five first sets…
"Arkansas came out tough in singles and our guys were not going to back down. They navigated through trouble in sets and battled. Really happy with how they all competed and stayed the course."
 
On facing No. 18 Auburn on Sunday that's coming in to Gainesville following a 4-3 win at No. 4 South Carolina…
"Auburn has a very good team, we will have to control what we can control and compete hard.  It should be a great college match and looking forward to playing at home again on Sunday.  Go Gators!"
 
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. No. 29 Will Grant/Axel Nefve (UF) def. Adrien Burdet/Melvin Manuel (ARK), 6-4
2. Nate Bonetto/Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF) vs Alan Sau Franco/Stefanos Savva (ARK), 5-4, unfinished
3. Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif (UF) def. Foster Rogers/Jake Sweeney (ARK), 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1
 
SINGLES RESULTS
1. No. 70 Axel Nefve (UF) def. Stefanos Savva (ARK), 7-5, 6-7 (3), [10-4]
2. No. 81 Will Grant (UF) def. Melvin Manuel (ARK), 7-5, 6-4
3. No. 97 Jonah Braswell (UF) def. Adrien Burdet (ARK), 3-6, 7-5, [10-2]
4. Alan Sau Franco (ARK) def. Nate Bonetto (UF), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
5. Lukas Greif (UF) def. Gerard Planelles (ARK), 6-4, 6-1
6. Togan Tokac (UF) def. Oscar Pinto (ARK), 6-4, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 2, 1, 4, 3

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