Kentucky Completes Day Three of ITA Regional Championships
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Kentucky men’s tennis team earned four singles draw victories and one doubles draw win to advance to the semifinals of the ITA Regional Championships on the campus of the University of Tennessee. Junior Trey Yates and senior Beck Pennington both won two matches in the singles bracket while the pairing of Pennington and sophomore Enzo Wallart won in the doubles bracket.
“Today was another very good day,” assistant coach Matt Emery said. “Enzo and Beck did a great job of just taking care of business in doubles. Trey and Beck both did a great job of following their game plans in singles and not letting their opponents back in the matches. They are both playing really well right now.”
Pennington/Wallart won 8-4 over Timo Stodder and Scott Jones from the host Tennessee. They will take on Aviv Ben Shabat and Ari Gerstein of Butler on Sunday at 9 a.m.
In the singles draw, Yates beat Nicolas Rouanet of Louisville, 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the fourth round. Yates then picked up a win over a nationally ranked opponent after taking down No. 93 Timo Stodder of Tennessee, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. Yates will face No. 21 Daniel Valent of Vanderbilt on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Pennington started the day by taking down nationally ranked No. 42 Luis Valero of Tennessee, 6-2, 7-5. He advanced to the semifinal by taking down Parker Wynn of Louisville in straight-sets, 6-1, 6-3. He will take on No. 57 Ryan Peniston of Memphis on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Senior Nils Ellefsen and Wallart were bounced from the singles draw. Ellefsen lost Valent in three sets, 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 and Wallart fell to Peniston, 6-2, 6-4. The pairing of Ellefsen and Yates dropped out of the doubles draw after being defeated by Wynn and Christopher Kougoucheff of Lousiville, 8-6.
“Enzo and Nils both lost tight matches to very good opponents,” Emery said. “We just got a little outplayed at the start of both of those matches but they fought back and almost turned them into wins. I was really proud of their effort today.”
The ITA Regional Championships features some of the top men’s and women’s players across the country. Over 8,000 student-athletes from NCAA I, II, III, NAIA, Junior and Community Colleges compete across 85 ITA Regional Championships around the country. The winners of each draw will receive berths to the UTSA/ITA National Indoor Championships on Nov. 3-5 in Flushing, N.Y.
Main Draw Singles
Trey Yates (Kentucky) def. Nicolas Rounanet (Louisville), 6-2, 6-2
Trey Yates (Kentucky) def. Time Stodder (Tennessee) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Beck Pennington (Kentucky) def. Luis Valero (Tennessee), 6-2, 7-5
Beck Pennington (Kentucky) def. Parker Wynn (Louisville) 6-1, 6-3
Daniel Valent (Vanderbilt) def. Nils Ellefsen (Kentucky) 6-1, 5-7, 6-1
Ryan Peniston (Memphis) def. Enzo Wallart (Kentucky), 6-2, 6-4
Main Draw Doubles
Beck Pennington/Enzo Wallart (Kentucky) def. Timo Stodder and Scott Jones (Tennessee), 8-4
Christopher Kougoucheff/Parker Wynn (Louisville) def. Nils Ellefsen/Trey Yates (Kentucky), 8-6
