GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 20 Florida Gators put up an incredible fight, but fell in a heartbreaker on Friday night to No. 9 Tennessee, 4-3, at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.
 
Florida (12-9, 5-4 SEC) lit up the doubles point against Tennessee (17-6, 7-2 SEC) and notched victories on court two and three for the 1-0 lead. Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif got doubles started for the Gators by winning the first four games - converted a break on deuce point at 2-0 and a love-40 break at 4-0 - and sealed the win over Angel Diaz/Martim Prata, 6-1.
 
Coming up clutch on court two was Nate Bonetto/Tanapatt Nirundorn in their first match against a ranked-duo, No. 44 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui. Both tandems held serve up until 3-3, the biggest hold coming from Bonetto/Nirundorn at 2-2 on deuce point. Florida broke serve to go up 4-3 and that was enough to dispatch the Vols, 6-4, to clinch the doubles point. No. 10 Will Grant/Axel Nefve were deadlocked at 5-5 against No. 2 Pat Harper/Johannus Monday before the match was left unfinished.
 
By winning three first sets in singles across the six courts, Florida appeared to be in good standing, but Tennessee grabbed victories in straights on court five via Diaz and Blaise Bicknell on court three, respectively, to take a 2-1 lead.
 
Equalizing the overall match at 2-2 was Nirundorn on court six in just his second SEC match of the season. After earning the first conference win of his career at No. 25 Texas A&M last Saturday, the freshman continued his steady play utilizing the serve and volley against Martim Prata. In the first set, the native of Thailand converted a break on Prata's serve on deuce point using an overhead match falling backwards. Down 2-1 to open the second, Nirundorn rattled off five consecutive games and secured the win in straights, 6-2. Nirundorn improves to 2-0 in SEC play and 6-6 overall in singles.
 
Tennessee earn the lead right back on court four, but No. 81 Nefve showed up in arguably the biggest match of his college career against No. 2 Monday on court one. Both sides held serve up until 6-5 when Monday sought to hold serve and send the first set to a tiebreak. Nefve had other plans and broke Monday's serve on deuce point by ripping a backhand return, which Monday volleyed into the net. The second set got off to the wrong start for Nefve, as the graduate student was unable to hold serve, but immediately broke Monday the next game. Nefve catapulted forward to a 4-1 lead, yet Monday scratched his way back to 4-3. With Monday attempting to tie up the second set, Nefve brought the game to deuce point and Monday double-faulted to distance Nefve once again. Composure was contained by Nefve and the veteran served out the straight set triumph, 6-3, for the highest ranked-victory of his collegiate career. Nefve is now 10-9 on court one in dual play and earned his fifth ranked-win of the season.
 
The match was left up to No. 92 Grant and No. 44 Hudd on court two to decide the victor. Grant controlled the first set in the ranked-matchup, as the junior won the final four games and collected the opening frame, 6-2. Unfortunately, Hudd managed to find his footing and won the second set, 6-3. Down 4-3 on deuce point as the overall match became tied, Grant couldn't convert the break. Hudd clinched the victory for Tennessee and won the final set, 6-3.
 
Another top-10 test lies ahead for Florida this Sunday, April 9 against No. 7 Georgia at noon. Georgia is coming off a 4-0 road win in tonight's match against No. 5 South Carolina.
 
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. No. 10 Will Grant/Axel Nefve (UF) vs No. 2 Pat Harper/Johannus Monday (UT), 5-5, unfinished
2. Nate Bonetto/Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF) def. No. 44 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT), 6-4
3. Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif (UF) def. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT), 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 2
 
SINGLES RESULTS
1. No. 81 Axel Nefve (UF) def. No. 2 Johannus Monday (UT), 7-5, 6-3
2. No. 44 Emile Hudd (UT) def. No. 92 Will Grant (UF), 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
3. Blaise Bicknell (UT) def. No. 102 Jonah Braswell (UF), 6-3, 6-3
4. No. 124 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Lukas Greif (UF), 7-5, 6-2
5. Angel Diaz (UT) def. Nate Bonetto (UF), 6-2, 6-4
6. Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF) def. Martim Prata (UT), 6-4, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 3, 6, 4, 1, 2

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