Feb. 22, 2002

– The University of Kentucky men’s tennis team moved up one spot to No. 9 in the Omni Hotels Collegiate Tennis Rankings that were released Wed., Feb. 20. In the singles and doubles rankings released Friday Feb. 22, the Wildcats made a good showing with five individual rankings and two doubles teams.

Five Cats earned top rankings in singles being led by freshman Jesse Witten at No. 4. Senior Johan Grunditz ranks at No. 61 followed by Gustav Pousette, Evan Austin and Karim Benmansour. Witten, a Naples, Fla., native, currently holds a 20-4 record as a Wildcat while standing undefeated, 7-0, in dual-match action. Grunditz, while suffering a re-occurring injury, has an overall 7-5 record being 1-1 in dual-match action.

The tandem of Benmansour and Austin captured No. 22 in the doubles rankings, while Witten and Grunditz stand at No. 48. Benmansour and Austin began the season 5-0 sweeping the Milwaukee Tennis Classic doubles title and currently stand at 9-4.

The Wildcats, who jumped from No. 23 to No. 10 in the Feb. 13 rankings, will look to improve their 7-2 record on Saturday Feb. 23 when they face Florida Gulf Coast University in Naples, Fla.