September 26, 1998
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The University of Kentucky saw five singles players and one doubles team advance in the Middle Tennessee State University Fall Tennis Classic on Friday, Sept. 25.
Freshman Tomaz Smid received a bye in the first round of Flight One singles, and then defeated Ryan O’Keefe of Georgia Southern, 7-6, 7-6. Smid faces Andrew Nisker of Vanderbilt in the third round on Saturday. Also competing in Flight One singles, junior Johan Hesoun received a bye in the first round, and then came back to defeat Fungal Munjanja of UT-Chattanooga, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1, in the third round. Hesouns next opponent is Troy States Willie Campos.
UK freshman Johan Grunditz also advanced to the third round of Flight One singles. After receiving a bye into the second round, Grunditz defeated Nikola Aracic of Murray State, 6-2, 6-2. Grunditz will face the winner of the match between Peter Black of Vanderbilt and Alex Silvertson of Louisville. Wildcat senior Patrick Johansson advanced to the third round of Flight Two singles by defeating Raoul Bax of Murray State, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. Johansson now faces Miamis Gareth Quinn.
UK freshman Claude Grady also advanced to the second round of Flight Two singles, defeating Jack Hu of Memphis, 6-4, 6-3. He faces Volkan Salar of Tennessee Tech on Saturday.
Wildcat freshman Winfield Stephens won his first match, coming back to earn a victory over Darren Clark of Georgia Southern, 6-1, 1-6, 6-1. But Stephens lost in another three-set match in the second round, as Tennessee Tech’s Mirza Duranovic won, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. In doubles play, the Wildcat tandem of Johansson and Grunditz defeated Troy State’s team of Campos/Nettle, 8-7, to advance to the second round of Flight One doubles. They face the Tennessee Tech duo Wawrzinish/Durarovic in the second round on Saturday.
UK’s Hesoun and Smid square off against the UT-Chattanooga team of Munjaja and Koti in the first round on Saturday. In Flight Two, UK’s Grady and Stephens face Quinn and Reddy of Miami in first round play on Saturday. Play in the Classic continues through Sunday.
