The University of Kentucky men’s tennis team began its dual match season onSaturday, Jan. 27, capturing victories over East Tennessee State and William & Mary inKnoxville, Tenn.
The Cats took their first match with William & Mary by a score of 4-0 as senior EdoBawono, juniors Johan Grunditz and Gustav Pousette and freshman Matt Emery claimedvictories for the Cats. Bawono defeated Trevor Franklin in straight sets, while Grunditzjumped back from a tough first set loss to claim a win over Patrick Brown 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.Pousette knocked out Brian Lubin in straight sets, while Emery, who was playing his firstcollegiate match, grabbed a win over Joe Brooks, 6-4, 7-6.
In the evening match, the Cats worked overtime to push their record to 2-0 by topplingETSU, 4-3. In doubles action, freshman Karim Benmansour teamed up with Grunditz tobeat Gustavo Gomez and Roberto Fernandez in a tough battle, 8-6. The Bucs’ duo of JuanYanuzzi and Marcos Pavlovich defeated the Kentucky combination of Bawono and juniorReven Stephens. Emery and freshman Rahim Esmail knocked off Pablo Sahagun andFrancisco Diaz, 8-5, to give UK the doubles point.
The Cats claimed three of six singles matches, led by Bawono, who took Gomez instraight sets. Also claiming victories were Emery, who moved to 2-0 on the season with awin over Fernandez in a tedious battle, 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, and Benmansour, who toppledETSU’s Antonio Bugge convincingly. Pousette was not so fortunate, as he claimed his firstset 6-0, but dropped the second 6-2. Pousette pushed the third set to a tiebreak, butdropped the match with the 7-6 finish. UK’s Stephens was overpowered by Yannuzzi, whileEsmail fell to Sahagun in a tight battle.
“This was a really challenging first day for our season,” Coach Dennis Emery said. “Itwas especially challenging considering the fact that we had three freshmen in the lineup.It’s good to get two victories under our belt and gain early season experience in an intenseenvironment.”
The Cats are back in action on Saturday, Feb. 3, when they travel to Bloomington,Ind., to face DePaul and Western Michigan at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
AGATEUK vs. William & Mary
SinglesNo. 1 Edo Bawono (UK) def. Trever Spracklin (WM), 6-2, 6-2.No. 2 Johan Grunditz (UK) def. Patrick Brown (WM), 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.No. 3 Gustav Pousette (UK) def. Brian Lubin (WM), 6-3, 6-3.No. 4 Rahim Esmail (UK) vs. Russell (WM), 7-6, 6-7, suspended.No. 5 Matt Emery (UK) def. Joe Brooks (WM), 6-4, 7-6.No. 6 Todd Scheck (UK) vs. Charles Briggs (WM), 6-3, 1-0, suspended.
UK vs. East Tennessee State
SinglesNo. 1 Edo Bowano def. Gustavo Gomez, 6-3, 6-2. No. 2 Marcos Pavlovich def. Gustav Pousette, 0-6, 6-2, 7-5. No. 3 Matt Emery def. Roberto Fernandez, 4-6, 7-6, 7-5.No. 4 Juan Yannuzzi def. Reven Stephens, 6-4, 6-4.
