Feb. 15, 2003

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The eleventh-ranked University of Kentucky men’s tennis team defeated No. 31 Louisville, 4-3 Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Louisville Tennis Club. U of L took two of three doubles matches to capture the doubles point, but UK rebounded to take four of six singles matches to claim the victory. The win improves Kentucky’s record to 5-1 while Louisville drops to 6-2.

The match marked the return of fourth-ranked Jesse Witten to dual-match play. Witten, who sat out the last two weeks in preparing for a difficult spring schedule, defeated U of L’s Cody Lonley at No. 1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. No. 73 Karim Benmansour picked up where he left off in Wednesday’s doubleheader in recording a straight-set victory at No. 3 over Octavian Nicodim, 6-3, 6-3.

Also recording victories for the Wildcats were junior Rahim Esmail and freshman Alex Hume. The 91st-ranked Esmail battled from behind to overtake Matt Mayer by a count of 6-7, 6-3, 6-2. Hume also recorded a three-set victory in defeating Harry Walsh.

The 41st-ranked doubles pair of Jesse Witten and Rahim Esmail teamed up to provide the only victory on the doubles side for Kentucky, defeating Harry Walsh and Matt Mayer, 8-5.

Kentucky will next take on top-ranked UCLA at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18 at the Louisville Tennis Club. The Wildcats will settle in Louisville for a few days as the University of Kentucky plays host to the 2003 USTA/ITA National Team Indoor Championship Feb. 20-23, also at the Louisville Tennis Club. UK will take on seventh-ranked Stanford in its opening match Feb. 20 at 4 p.m.

AGATE:

No. 11 Kentucky vs. No. 31 LouisvilleDoubles1.No. 22 Cody Conley-Octavian Nicodim (UL) def. Karim Benmansour-Matt Emery (UK) - 8-62.No. 41 Jesse Witten-Rahim Esmail (UK) def. Harry Walsh-Matt Mayer (UL) - 8-53.Sebastian Aspiuaga-Jakub Gustafsson (UL) def. Evan Austin-Alex Hume (UK) - 9-8

Singles1.No. 4 Jesse Witten (UK) def. Cody Lonley (UL) – 4-6, 6-4, 6-32.No. 111 Paulo Carvalho (UL) def. No. 100 Evan Austin (UK) – 7-6(8), 6-33.No. 73 Karim Benmansour (UK) def. Octavian Nicodim (UL) – 6-3, 6-34.No. 91 Rahim Esmail (UK) def. Matt Mayer (UL) – 6-7, 6-3, 6-25.Jhonny Berrido (UL) def. Matt Emery (UK) – 7-6, 6-36.Alex Hume (UK) def. Harry Walsh (UL) – 6-3, 3-6, 6-4