Alabama
Florida
Planinsek, Foster Capture Wins For Alabama Against No. 3 Florida
4/8/2022 10:23:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Planinsek defeated the top ranked singles player in the country in the Crimson Tide’s 5-2 loss to the Gators
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. –– Filip Planinsek and Zach Foster led the Alabama men's tennis team as it battled the No. 3-ranked Florida Gators in a 5-2 loss Friday at the Alabama Tennis Stadium. After dropping the first set, Planinsek came-from-behind to upset the top-ranked singles player in the country with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 win over Ben Shelton, while Foster came back after falling in an opening set tiebreaker to defeat Nate Bonetto 6-7 (9), 6-0, 1-0 (6).
Planinsek captured the first Southeastern Conference win against No. 1 ranked Shelton, dropping the UF sophomore to 27-4 overall, while on court six Foster was just the fifth player to defeat Bonetto this season. Additionally, it was the first time in six matches that a team recorded two points against the Gators with then-ranked No. 1 Tennessee being the last to do so in a 5-2 loss to UF on March 13.
The Match
- Florida (18-2, 10-0 SEC) took the first doubles victory, going 6-4 on court one but a 6-4 win on court three from Alabama's (6-17, 0-9 SEC) German Samofalov and Joao Ferreira evened play for the doubles point
- UA's Enzo Aguiard and Juan Martin forced a tiebreaker against 25th-ranked Andy Andrade and Mattais Siimar, but a late surge from the Gators gave UF the opening point with a 7-6 (6) win on court two
- UF would clinch the team win off of singles victories on courts two, five, four and three, respectively, but Planinsek and Foster both rallied for three-set wins on courts one and six
- Foster captured the first point for UA, fighting his way back after an aggressive opening set that saw Bonetto win with an 11-9 tiebreaker
- Foster regained his momentum to decisively take set two with a 6-0 score, before clinching the match with a 10-6 third-set tiebreak to mark just the fifth time this year that Bonetto has lost a singles match
- After dropping a 6-2 decision to the No. 1-ranked singles player in the country, Planinsek battled to go 6-1, 6-3 in the final two sets against Shelton
- Planinsek was the first Southeastern Conference player to capture a win against the top-ranked Gator as Shelton dropped just his fourth overall match this year
Next
- Alabama hosts ninth-ranked South Carolina at the Alabama Tennis Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT before welcoming UAB for the second time this season at 6 p.m. CT
- The Tide will honor Juan Martin and Patrick Kaukovalta prior to its match against the Gamecocks as a part of its Senior Day celebration
Results
Doubles:
- Sam Riffice/Ben Shelton (UF) def. Patrick Kaukovalta/Filip Planinsek (UA) 6-4
- Andy Andrade/ Mattias Siimar (UF) def. Enzo Aguiard/Juan Martin (UA) 7-6 (6)
- Joao Ferreira/ German Samofalov (UA) def. Duarte Vale/Nate Bonetto (UF) 6-4
Order of Finish (1,3,2)
Singles:
- #60 Filip Planinsek (UA) def. #1 Ben Shelton (UF) 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
- #22 Sam Riffice (UF) def. Enzo Aguiard (UA) 6-2, 6-4
- #108 Duarte Vale (UF) def. Patrick Kaukovalta (UA) 7-6 (4), 6-3
- #125 Andy Andrade (UF) def. German Samofalov (UA) 7-5, 6-0
- #117 Josh Goodger (UF) def. Joao Ferreira (UA) 6-1, 7-4 (4)
- Zach Foster (UA) def. Nate Bonetto (UF) 6-7 (9), 6-0, 10-6
Order of Finish (2,5,4,3,6,1)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,3,2
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
2,5,4,3,6,1
Players Mentioned
