Feb. 20, 2003

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The ninth-ranked University of Kentucky men’s tennis team was overwhelmed by seventh-ranked Stanford Thursday in the opening round of the 2003 USTA/ITA National Indoor Team Championship. The Cardinal defeated the Wildcats, 4-0.

The lone highlight of the day for Kentucky was the performance of sophomore Jesse Witten at No. 1 singles. Matched up against Witten was Stanford’s Ryan Haviland, whom Witten defeated in the 2002 NCAA semifinal. Witten led 7-5, 4-0, but the match was called after Stanford’s David Martin clinched the Cardinal victory with a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 2 against UK’s Evan Austin.

Kentucky, the No. 10 seed, will compete in the consolation bracket Friday against the No. 14 seed, Georgia. Match time is 7:30 p.m. at the Louisville Tennis Club.

AGATE:

Singles1. No. 4 Jesse Witten (UK) vs. Ryan Haviland (SU) – susp.
2. No. 15 David Martin (SU) def. No. 100 Evan Austin (UK) – 6-3, 6-2
3. No. 46 Scott Lipsky (SU) vs. No. 73 Karim Benmansour (UK) – susp.
4. No. 50 K.C. Corkery (SU) def. No. 91 Rahim Esmail (UK) – 6-2, 6-1
5. James Pade (SU) vs. Matt Emery (UK) – susp.
6. No. 52 Sam Warburg (SU) def. Alex Hume (UK) – 6-3, 6-2

Doubles1. No. 3 Scott Lipsky/David Martin (SU) def. Karim Benmansour/Matt Emery (UK) – 8-4
2. Ryan Haviland/Sam Warburg (SU) vs. Rahim Esmail/Jesse Witten (UK) – Susp.
3. No. 9 K.C. Corkery/James Pade (SU) def. Evan Austin/Alex Hume (UK) – 8-5