Sept. 4, 2003

UK junior Jesse Witten headlines a list of three Wildcats in the preseason men’s tennis singles and doubles rankings released by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Witten, the 2002 NCAA men’s singles runner-up as a freshman, enters the preseason ranked ninth overall in men’s singles after compiling a 29-16 overall record in 2002-03.

Joining Witten in the singles rankings are senior Rahim Esmail and junior Evan Austin. Esmail, ranked No. 91, amassed a 24-16 overall singles record in 2002-03, and Austin, ranked No. 98, posted an 18-20 record last season. Witten and Esmail comprised a formidable doubles pair last season and enter the preseason ranked twenty-fifth.

The Cats begin their tournament season on Sept. 19 with the Moore Invitational at UK’s Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.