Sunday, April 9
Gainesville, FL
12 PM
Florida Gators
3
vs
4
Georgia
Tanapatt Nirundorn won his match on court six to tie the match 2-2 for the second time this weekend.
No. 20 Gators Push No. 7 Georgia, but Fall Short
Sunday, April 9, 2023 | Men's Tennis
Florida fell 4-3 after dropping a pair of three set matches.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 20 Florida men's tennis team suffered a tough loss to No. 7 Georgia, 4-3, on a chilly Sunday afternoon at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.
For the seventh straight match, Florida (12-10, 5-5 SEC) jumped on the doubles point and won matches on court one and three against Georgia (16-5, 10-0 SEC) for the 1-0 lead. In their second consecutive match against a top-10 ranked pair, No. 10 Will Grant/Axel Nefve handled No. 7 Trent Bryde/Ethan Quinn with ease. The Gators tandem converted a break at love-40 for the 3-1 lead, after a huge service hold on deuce point in the game prior. Grant/Nefve put the match away with their second break of the match to seal the triumph for their second win over a top-10 opponent this spring.
With Georgia claiming the match on court two, the doubles point was left up to Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif at the three position in a back-and-forth affair against Blake Croyder/Britton Johnston. Producing a pair of holds on deuce in their first two service games, Florida's duo exchanged breaks with Georgia, beginning at 2-2 for the next four games. Finally, Braswell/Greif supplied the finishing blow to Croyder/Johnston on their last service game for the 7-5 victory and clinched their seventh doubles point of the season.
Transitioning into singles, Georgia grabbed control of the momentum by winning four of the six first sets across the courts. The Bulldogs utilized this advantage and took a 2-1 lead with a pair of straight set victories on court one and three, respectively.
This left courts two, four, five and six to decide the overall match. Each one of them were locked in three set battles. Like Friday's match against No. 9 Tennessee, Tanapatt Nirundorn tied the match at 2-2 on court six. After falling behind a set to Teodor Giusca 6-4, the freshman refused to let up and broke Giusca's serve for the 4-2 lead, as the Bulldog double-faulted. Nirundorn held serve the rest of the way and forced a third set after earning the 6-4 second set.
Waiting for another chance to strike, Nirundorn landed his shot tied 4-4 at deuce point with a beautiful cross court backhand return of Giusca's serve, forcing the Bulldog right, and Nirundorn volleyed Giusca's forehand into the left corner, which Giusca put right into the net. The final service game to complete the victory wouldn't come easy, as the native of Thailand found himself at deuce point after being down love-30. Nirundorn ripped a second serve right into Giusca's body and the return sailed out for the 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 triumph. With the win, Nirundorn improves to 3-0 in SEC play and 4-1 in dual play at the six position.
On court two, No. 92 Grant faced his second top-50 opponent of the weekend in No. 13 Philip Henning. After holding a 5-3 lead, Grant was unable to close out the first set and Henning took advantage by winning the next four games for the 7-5 opening set. At 3-3 in the second frame, Grant was down in Henning's service game 40-15, but came roaring back to convert the break. The Boca Raton, Fla. native held strong and used the cushion to win the set, 6-4. Grant immediately jumped on Henning in the final frame and ripped a backhand up 40-30 to break the opening game. Henning refused to go away, breaking Grant's serve at 2-2, and the match went the distance. In the breaker, Grant was tied at 4-4, but Henning found away to pull away once again, and exited with a 7-5 decision for the victory.
Down 3-2, Florida needed wins in the final two matches. On court four, Greif faced No. 107 Croyder and breezed by in the opening set, 6-3. At 3-2, the senior utilized a break point and ripped a backhand return, which Croyder couldn't handle. Greif was initially down 5-2 in the following frame, but surged and forced a tiebreak. The strong play continued for Greif as the Newburgh, Ind. native was up 5-2 in the breaker, but Croyder came back to win 10-8 after saving three set points.
In the third set, Greif converted a crucial break at 3-2 once again for the 4-2 lead, but Croyder broke back. Facing match point at deuce down 6-5, Greif came through with a clutch break to force another tiebreak, which would ultimately decide Florida's fate. The breaker opened with a 3-0 lead for Greif, however, Croyder won the next six points. Greif reclaimed ahold of the tiebreak and saved three match points, bringing the score to 6-6. Unfortunately, Croyder was able to win the final two points, for the 8-6 decision, and clinched the win for Georgia.
Finishing out the match on court five was Nate Bonetto in the final three-set thriller. Bonetto sped past Miguel Perez Pena in the opening set, 6-1, and held a 4-2 lead in the second. Yet, Perez Pena refused to go away and saved four match points to force a tiebreak. After Perez Pena snatched the breaker, 7-2, the third set went all the way, as well. Bonetto utilized a 3-0 advantage to start the deciding tiebreaker, but Perez Pena won the next three games. Leveled at 6-6, Bonetto put the match away and won the final two games for the victory.
The Gators return to action on Tuesday, April 11 at 5 p.m. hosting North Florida at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. No. 10 Will Grant/Axel Nefve (UF) def. No. 7 Trent Bryde/Ethan Quinn (UGA), 6-2
2. Teodor Giusca/Philip Henning (UGA) def. Nate Bonetto/Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF), 6-2
3. Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif (UF) def. Blake Croyder/Britton Johnston (UGA), 7-5
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
SINGLES RESULTS
1. No. 3 Ethan Quinn (UGA) def. No. 81 Axel Nefve (UF), 6-3, 6-2
2. No. 13 Philip Henning (UGA) def. No. 92 Will Grant (UF), 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5)
3. Trent Bryde (UGA) def. No. 102 Jonah Braswell (UF), 6-4, 6-1
4. No. 107 Blake Croyder (UGA) def. Lukas Greif (UF), 3-6, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (6)
5. Nate Bonetto (UF) def. Miguel Perez Pena (UGA), 6-1, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6)
6. Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF) def. Teodor Giusca (UGA), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 6, 2, 4, 5
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For the seventh straight match, Florida (12-10, 5-5 SEC) jumped on the doubles point and won matches on court one and three against Georgia (16-5, 10-0 SEC) for the 1-0 lead. In their second consecutive match against a top-10 ranked pair, No. 10 Will Grant/Axel Nefve handled No. 7 Trent Bryde/Ethan Quinn with ease. The Gators tandem converted a break at love-40 for the 3-1 lead, after a huge service hold on deuce point in the game prior. Grant/Nefve put the match away with their second break of the match to seal the triumph for their second win over a top-10 opponent this spring.
With Georgia claiming the match on court two, the doubles point was left up to Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif at the three position in a back-and-forth affair against Blake Croyder/Britton Johnston. Producing a pair of holds on deuce in their first two service games, Florida's duo exchanged breaks with Georgia, beginning at 2-2 for the next four games. Finally, Braswell/Greif supplied the finishing blow to Croyder/Johnston on their last service game for the 7-5 victory and clinched their seventh doubles point of the season.
Transitioning into singles, Georgia grabbed control of the momentum by winning four of the six first sets across the courts. The Bulldogs utilized this advantage and took a 2-1 lead with a pair of straight set victories on court one and three, respectively.
This left courts two, four, five and six to decide the overall match. Each one of them were locked in three set battles. Like Friday's match against No. 9 Tennessee, Tanapatt Nirundorn tied the match at 2-2 on court six. After falling behind a set to Teodor Giusca 6-4, the freshman refused to let up and broke Giusca's serve for the 4-2 lead, as the Bulldog double-faulted. Nirundorn held serve the rest of the way and forced a third set after earning the 6-4 second set.
Waiting for another chance to strike, Nirundorn landed his shot tied 4-4 at deuce point with a beautiful cross court backhand return of Giusca's serve, forcing the Bulldog right, and Nirundorn volleyed Giusca's forehand into the left corner, which Giusca put right into the net. The final service game to complete the victory wouldn't come easy, as the native of Thailand found himself at deuce point after being down love-30. Nirundorn ripped a second serve right into Giusca's body and the return sailed out for the 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 triumph. With the win, Nirundorn improves to 3-0 in SEC play and 4-1 in dual play at the six position.
On court two, No. 92 Grant faced his second top-50 opponent of the weekend in No. 13 Philip Henning. After holding a 5-3 lead, Grant was unable to close out the first set and Henning took advantage by winning the next four games for the 7-5 opening set. At 3-3 in the second frame, Grant was down in Henning's service game 40-15, but came roaring back to convert the break. The Boca Raton, Fla. native held strong and used the cushion to win the set, 6-4. Grant immediately jumped on Henning in the final frame and ripped a backhand up 40-30 to break the opening game. Henning refused to go away, breaking Grant's serve at 2-2, and the match went the distance. In the breaker, Grant was tied at 4-4, but Henning found away to pull away once again, and exited with a 7-5 decision for the victory.
Down 3-2, Florida needed wins in the final two matches. On court four, Greif faced No. 107 Croyder and breezed by in the opening set, 6-3. At 3-2, the senior utilized a break point and ripped a backhand return, which Croyder couldn't handle. Greif was initially down 5-2 in the following frame, but surged and forced a tiebreak. The strong play continued for Greif as the Newburgh, Ind. native was up 5-2 in the breaker, but Croyder came back to win 10-8 after saving three set points.
In the third set, Greif converted a crucial break at 3-2 once again for the 4-2 lead, but Croyder broke back. Facing match point at deuce down 6-5, Greif came through with a clutch break to force another tiebreak, which would ultimately decide Florida's fate. The breaker opened with a 3-0 lead for Greif, however, Croyder won the next six points. Greif reclaimed ahold of the tiebreak and saved three match points, bringing the score to 6-6. Unfortunately, Croyder was able to win the final two points, for the 8-6 decision, and clinched the win for Georgia.
Finishing out the match on court five was Nate Bonetto in the final three-set thriller. Bonetto sped past Miguel Perez Pena in the opening set, 6-1, and held a 4-2 lead in the second. Yet, Perez Pena refused to go away and saved four match points to force a tiebreak. After Perez Pena snatched the breaker, 7-2, the third set went all the way, as well. Bonetto utilized a 3-0 advantage to start the deciding tiebreaker, but Perez Pena won the next three games. Leveled at 6-6, Bonetto put the match away and won the final two games for the victory.
The Gators return to action on Tuesday, April 11 at 5 p.m. hosting North Florida at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.
DOUBLES RESULTS
1. No. 10 Will Grant/Axel Nefve (UF) def. No. 7 Trent Bryde/Ethan Quinn (UGA), 6-2
2. Teodor Giusca/Philip Henning (UGA) def. Nate Bonetto/Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF), 6-2
3. Jonah Braswell/Lukas Greif (UF) def. Blake Croyder/Britton Johnston (UGA), 7-5
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
SINGLES RESULTS
1. No. 3 Ethan Quinn (UGA) def. No. 81 Axel Nefve (UF), 6-3, 6-2
2. No. 13 Philip Henning (UGA) def. No. 92 Will Grant (UF), 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5)
3. Trent Bryde (UGA) def. No. 102 Jonah Braswell (UF), 6-4, 6-1
4. No. 107 Blake Croyder (UGA) def. Lukas Greif (UF), 3-6, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (6)
5. Nate Bonetto (UF) def. Miguel Perez Pena (UGA), 6-1, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6)
6. Tanapatt Nirundorn (UF) def. Teodor Giusca (UGA), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 6, 2, 4, 5
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Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2,3
#1 Singles Match
12
Ethan Quinn / 0 (3/-) [UGA]
66
32
#2 Singles Match
123
Philip Henning / 0 (13/-) [UGA]
747
566
#3 Singles Match
12
Trent Bryde / 0 [UGA]
66
41
#4 Singles Match
123
Blake Croyder / 0 (107/-) [UGA]
377
666
#5 Singles Match
123
Miguel Perez Pena / 0 [UGA]
176
667
#6 Singles Match
123
Teodor Giusca / 0 [UGA]
644
466
Order of Finish:
1,3,6,2,4,5
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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