Alabama
University of Kentucky
Alabama Men’s Tennis Upsets No. 23 Kentucky on Sunday Afternoon
4/9/2017 4:01:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The Crimson Tide concludes the 2017 regular season on Thursday, April 13, at Noon CT when it travels to face the Tennessee Volunteers
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Alabama men's tennis team upset the 23rd-ranked Kentucky Wildcats in a 4-3 decision at the Boone Tennis Center on Sunday afternoon. The Crimson Tide collected two victories in doubles and three wins in singles play on the day. With the win, the Tide improves to a 10-15 overall record including a 2-9 mark in Southeastern Conference play, while the Wildcats fall to 13-9 and 4-5 in league play.
The win over Kentucky is significant in that is was the first victory over Wildcats since the 2014 season, when Alabama defeated Kentucky in a 5-2 result. Additionally, it is the first win in Lexington, Ky., since the 2009 season, when the Tide topped the Wildcats in a 4-3 decision.
"When you take a few punches as we have this year you can either throw in the towel or put in a fresh mouthpiece and keep fighting and fight we did today," said Alabama head coach George Husack.
Kentucky registered the first doubles win of the contest, as Gus Benson and Trey Yates topped senior Ritchie Kruunenberg and freshman Zhe Zhou in a 6-3 result on court three. The Tide bounced back as its No. 38 ranked doubles tandem in sophomore Mazen Osama and Spencer Richey won a 6-4 decision over Kentucky's No. 32 ranked doubles team Beck Pennington and Enzo Wallart on the top court. With the doubles point on the line, freshmen Thibault Cancel and Alexey Nesterov outlasted Nils Ellefsen and Will Bushamuka in a 7-6(3) decision to give the Tide a 1-0 match advantage headed into singles.
The Tide got off to a strong start to begin singles action, as its No. 117 ranked singles player Cancel (No. 2) knocked off Kentucky's No. 38 ranked singles player Ryotaro Matsumura in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2, extending Alabama's match lead to 2-0. Alabama's No. 31 ranked singles player Osama (No. 1) upset the Wildcats' No. 16 ranked singles player Bushamuka in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, to lengthen the Tide's match advantage to 3-0. Kentucky came storming back, as Wallart defeated Kruunenberg (No. 6) in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, trimming the Tide's match lead to 3-1. The Wildcats rattled off back-to-back three-set victories on courts three and four to equalize the match score at 3-3. Ellefsen outlasted Richey (No. 4), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, before Pennington overcame Nesterove (No. 3) in a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 decision. With the match point on the line, Zhou (No. 5) overcame Yates, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, resulting in the final match score.
"It's easy to give up and give in while harder to keep going with even more grit and determination," said Husack. "we have more work to do, but for now, we will enjoy this long ride home tonight."
The Tide will be back in action on Thursday, April 13, when it travels to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on the Tennessee Volunteers at Noon CT in its final match of the regular season.
Alabama 4, No. 23 Kentucky 3
SINGLES
1. No. 31 Mazen Osama (Alabama) def. No. 16 Will Bushamuka (Kentucky) 6-1, 6-2
2. No. 117 Thibault Cancel (Alabama) def. No. 38 Ryotaro Matsumura (Kentucky) 6-0, 6-2
3. Beck Pennington (Kentucky) def. Alexey Nesterov (Alabama) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
4. Nils Ellenfsen (Kentucky) def. Spencer Richey (Alabama) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
5. Zhe Zhou (Alabama) def. Trey Yates (Kentucky) 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
6. Enzo Wallart (Kentucky) def. Ritchie Kruunenberg (Alabama) 6-3, 6-3
Order of finish: 2,1,6,4,3,5
DOUBLES
1. No. 38 Mazen Osama/Spencer Richey (Alabama) def. No. 32 Beck Pennington//Enzo Wallart (Kentucky) 6-4
2. Thibault Cancel/Alexey Nesterov (Alabama) def. Nils Ellefsen/Will Bushamuka (Kentucky) 7-6
3. Gus Benson/Trey Yates (Kentucky) def. Zhe Zhou/Ritchie Kruunenberg (Alabama) 6-3
Order of finish: 3,1,2
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Players Mentioned
