Feb. 5, 2002

– The 23rd-ranked University of Kentucky men’s tennis team nearly upset No. 3 UCLA on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at the Louisville Tennis Club. The Wildcats fought hard against the Bruins but dropped the match 4-3, extending its season record to 5-1.

Kentucky was down early as they dropped the doubles point with losses at No. 1 and 2. At No. 3, UK duo, Matt Emery and Gustav Pousette grabbed an 8-5 win over Erfan Djahangiri and Rodrigo Grilli. At No. 1, Evan Austin and Karim Benmansour took their second loss of the year to top-ranked UCLA duo of Marcin Matkowski and Jean-Julien Rojer, while Johan Grunditz and Jesse Witten fell to No. 16 Lassi Ketola and Tobias Clemens.

The Wildcats took tough losses in singles from Benmansour and Emery at No. 1 and 4, falling 3-0 to the Bruins. Kentucky tallied their first two points when Pousette took a strong 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 5 over Djahangiri and Rahim Esmail grabbed his victory at No. 6 after dropping the second set. Witten, ranked 10th, dropped his first set to No. 13 Matkowski before grabbing the second set in a tiebreak. Even at three in third set action, Matkowski was given a one point penalty and Witten grabbed the victory by taking the third set, 6-4. Austin took a strong 6-4 win in his first set against 18th ranked Jean-Julien Rojer, but dropped the last two at No. 3.

The Wildcats return to action on Thursday, Feb. 7, in the opening round of the USTA/ITA National Team Indoor Tennis Championships at the Louisville Tennis Club. Kentucky is set to face the Bruins in a re-match to begin at 4 p.m.

AGATESinglesNo. 1(19) Tobias Clemens (UCLA) def. Karim Benmansour (UK) 6-1, 6-0No. 2(10) Jesse Witten (UK) def. (13) Marcin Matkowski (UCLA)5-7, 7-6(6), 6-4No. 3(18) Jean-Julien Rojer (UCLA) def. Evan Austin (UK)4-6, 6-4, 7-6NO. 4Rodrigo Grilli (UCLA) def. Matt Emery (UK)6-3, 6-3No. 5Gustav Pousette (UK) def. Erfan Djahangiri (UCLA)6-1, 6-0No. 6Rahim Esmail (UK) def. (89) Lassi Ketola (UCLA)6-4. 6-7(3), 6-4DoublesNo. 1(1) Matkowski/Rojer (UCLA) def. Austin/Benmansour (UK)8-6No. 2(16) Clemens/Ketola (UCLA) def. Grunditz/Witten (UK)8-5No. 3Emery/Pousette (UK) def.  Djahangiri/Grilli (UCLA)8-5