Jan. 16, 2003
Norcross, Ga. – The University of Kentucky men’s tennis team was in Norcross, Ga., today for the qualifying and first rounds of singles in the SEC Indoor Championships. Senior Elliott Datlow, freshman Alex Hume and newly-transferred Tim Morgan won their morning matches to advance to the main draw where they were unable to get past their first round opponents. Juniors Karim Benmansour, Matt Emery and Rahim Esmail all were victorious in the first round and will play their second round matches Friday. Jesse Witten, ranked fourth in the country and the top-seed in the tournament, received a bye in the first round.
In the qualifying bracket, Hume and Morgan both won their matches in straight sets. Hume defeated Florida’s Chris McDonald, 7-5, 6-1, and Morgan won against Mississippi State’s Michael Hailey, 6-3, 7-5. Elliott Datlow won his first set 6-4 and then struggled in the second and fell 6-1. He came back in the third 6-3 to take the victory.
In the first round of the main draw, the three qualifiers fell in each of their respective matches in straight sets.
Benmansour’s first-round opponent was Alabama’s William Boyles. Benmansour dispensed of Boyles, 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the second round where he will face Arkansas’ Aleksey Bubis, ranked 57th in the nation. Esmail fell in the first set of his match with Georgia’s Will Glenn but bounced back to take the victory, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. He will face Florida’s 68th-ranked Olivier Levant in tomorrow’s action.
Emery’s first victory of the tournament was against Alabama’s Brad Friedman, 6-2, 6-1. He will have a tough match tomorrow against Vanderbilt’s, seeded fifth in the tournament and ranked 14th nationally. Austin needed three sets in his victory over Florida’s Troy Hahn. He will face No. 8 seed Bo Hodge from Georgia who is ranked 25th in the country.Singles action will continue Friday along with two rounds of doubles, time permitting.
AGATE
Qualifying Round
Alex Hume def. Chris McDonald (Florida) – 7-5, 6-1
Tim Morgan def. Michael Hailey (Miss. St.) – 6-3, 7-5
Elliott Datlow def. Nasir Sherazi (South Carolina) – 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
Singles Main Draw
First Round
#4 Jesse Witten (1) – Bye
#73 Karim Benmansour def. William Boyles (Alabama) – 6-1, 6-4
Michael Ray Pallares (Alabama) def. Alex Hume – 6-2, 6-1
#91 Rahim Esmail def. Will Glenn (Georgia) – 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Matt Emery def. Brad Friedman (Florida) – 6-2, 6-1
Lewis Smith (Vanderbilt) def. Tim Morgan – 7-5, 6-2
#100 Evan Austin def. Troy Hahn (Florida) – 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Romain Ambert (Miss. St.) (2) def. Elliott Datlow – 6-2, 6-0
FRIDAY’S MATCHES
Singles Main Draw
Round of 16
#4 Jesse Witten (1) vs. Zach Dailey (Vanderbilt)
#73 Karim Benmansour vs. #57 Aleksey Bubis (Arkansas)
#91 Rahim Esmail vs. #68 Olivier Levant (Florida)
Matt Emery vs. #14 Chad Harris (Vanderbilt) (5)
#100 Evan Austin vs. #25 Bo Hodge (Georgia) (8)
Doubles Main Draw
Round of 32
Benmansour/Emery vs. #13 Matt Behman/Troy Hahn (Florida) (1)
Austin/Morgan vs. Janne Holmia/Trey Johnson (Florida)
Datlow/Hume vs. #43 Nicolas Boeker/Bo Hodge (Georgia)
#41 Esmail/Witten vs. Peter Richman/Paul White (LSU)
