Draxl Defeats Top-Ranked Cukierman In Cats’ First Setback
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Kentucky sophomore Liam Draxl continued his outstanding start to the spring with a victory over the top-ranked singles player in college tennis, but the No. 19 Wildcats (9-1) narrowly suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of No. 1 USC (7-0) by a 4-3 final on Wednesday.
Draxl’s triumph over Daniel Cukierman was his second top-10 singles win over a 10-day span, following a 6-4, 6-0 straight-set decision against No. 6 Richard Ciamarra of Notre Dame on Jan. 31. A week after his first Southeastern Conference Player of the Week selection, Draxl moves to 9-0 on the No. 1 singles court.
Kentucky began Wednesday with its 10th consecutive doubles point to open the season. After Gabriel Diallo and César Bourgois fell 6-1 to the nation’s top-ranked doubles pair of Cukierman and Riley Smith, Wildcats Millen Hurrion and Yasha Zemel defeated Mor Bulis and Ryder Jackson 6-4, averting all eyes to the deciding dispute on the third court.
Draxl and Alexandre LeBlanc clinched a 1-0 lead for Kentucky with a 6-3 win over Bradley Frye and Colter Smith.
Momentum shifted back toward the Trojans to open singles play, as USC swiftly gained a 2-1 lead via the only two matchups not to go to three sets on courts six and three. The margin grew to 3-1 when No. 123 Joshua Lapadat came up short in a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 battle against Lodewijk Weststrate.
The 19-year-old Draxl—who entered the spring ranked No. 45 despite not participating in collegiate competition last fall—got the Cats back on track with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Cukierman, a 25-year-old senior who has been ranked No. 1 since Nov. 13, 2019.
However, the match was clinched by USC when Diallo went down 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 to No. 19 Riley Smith on the second court.
The teams agreed to play out the remaining bout anyway, leading to Bourgois’ 2-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-5 victory over Bradley Frye.
The Wildcats’ first match away from home will be followed by its first true road test, albeit one close to home. Kentucky is set to return to the court for its first meeting with in-state foe Louisville (4-0) since 2011, taking on the Cardinals at 3 p.m. ET.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, follow @UKMensTennis on Twitter and Facebook, @kentuckymenstennis on Instagram, and on the web at UKAthletics.com.
#1 USC 4, #19 Kentucky 3
Singles
1.#45 Liam Draxl (UK) def. #1 Daniel Cukierman (USC) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
2.#19 Riley Smith (USC) def. Gabriel Diallo (UK) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
3.#26 Mor Bulis (USC) def. Millen Hurrion (UK) 6-3, 7-5
4.Lodewijk Weststrate (USC) def. #123 Joshua Lapadat (UK) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
5.César Bourgois (UK) def. Bradley Frye (USC) 2-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-5
6.Jake Sands (USC) def. Yasha Zemel (UK) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
1.#1 Daniel Cukierman/Riley Smith (USC) def. Gabriel Diallo/César Bourgois (UK) 6-1
2.Millen Hurrion/Yasha Zemel (UK) def. Mor Bulis/Ryder Jackson (USC) 6-4
3.Liam Draxl/Alexandre LeBlanc (UK) def. Bradley Frye/Colter Smith (USC) 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,3,4,1,2,5)
