Sept. 28, 2002
The men’s tennis team completed day two of the Charles Fluitt Invitational Saturday at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex. Jesse Witten posted two victories against ranked opponents to remain unbeaten in the Ranked Flight. Senior Elliott Datlow continued to breeze through the ‘B’ Flight with two straight-set wins. Junior Rahim Esmail posted an impressive victory over #19 Alex Hartman from Mississippi.
Witten, one of only two players in the Ranked Flight yet to lose, was tested in his first match by Ole Miss’ Paul Ciorascu, ranked #69. After edging out a 7-6 first-set win, Witten closed out the match with a 7-5 second-set victory. His evening match pitted him against #30 Maxim Belski from Alabama. Witten broke Belski’s serve early and took the first set 6-3. Both players held serve in the second set, but Witten took the tiebreaker 7-3 for the 6-3, 7-6(3) win.
Datlow won both of his matches Saturday, putting him in the finals of the ‘B’ Flight. Datlow had little trouble in his first match against Morehead State’s Tomi Simola, winning 6-0, 6-0. Datlow was tested for the first time in the tournament when he faced Louisville’s Jeremy Clark. Datlow took the first set 6-4 and won a second-set tiebreaker for the 6-4, 7-6(5) win.
Esmail pulled off the biggest upset of the day when he battled Hartman to three sets. The junior played Hartman to a third-set tiebreaker where he was able to hold on for the 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5) victory. Esmail’s night match also went to three sets. This time, Esmail was unable to hold on and fell 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 to Mississippi’s Catalin Gard, ranked #67.
Sophomore Evan Austin, who played two three-set matches Friday, saw himself in another one Saturday. He lost a heartbreaker to #38 Chad Harris from Vanderbilt 6-7(3), 6-1, 7-6(2). Austin finally had a two-set match when he faced Vanderbilt’s Scott Brown. Austin got his first win of the tournament, a 6-4, 7-6(8).
Freshman Alex Hume posted his first win of the tournament in the ‘B’ Flight. After falling 6-3, 6-3 to Louisville’s Sebastian Aspillaga, he was able to get by the Cardinals’ Jake Kirts, 6-4, 7-6(5). Junior Matt Emery dropped his only match of the day, a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Belski. Junior Karim Benmansour battled #9 Bobby Reynolds from Vanderbilt to three sets before falling 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-2. In his evening match, Benmansour lost to Ole Miss’ Paul Ciorascu, 6-3, 6-4.
The Charles Fluitt Invitational will conclude Sunday with a full set of matches taking place at 10 a.m. ET at the Boone Tennis Complex.
Sunday’s Schedule of UK Players
*10:00 a.m. – Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex
#65 Evan Austin vs. #53 Cody Conley (Louisville)
#36 Karim Benmansour vs. Scott Brown (Vanderbilt)
Elliott Datlow vs. Jens Pilgram-Larsen (Vanderbilt) – ‘B’ Flight Championship
Matt Emery vs. #38 Chad Harris (Vanderbilt)
Rahim Esmail vs. #69 Paul Ciorascu (Ole Miss)
Alex Hume vs. Alvin Cheng (Eastern Kentucky)
#1 Jesse Witten vs. #17 Michael Kogan (Tulane)
