April 3, 2003
The 13th-ranked University of Kentucky men’s tennis team (15-8, 5-3) continues SEC play this weekend with a golden opportunity to ensure a favorable seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament. With only three conference matches remaining, a victory over Alabama Friday would be a step in the right direction. The match is set for 6 p.m. at UK’s Boone Tennis Complex.
That step to be taken won’t be an easy one, however, as the Crimson Tide (14-6, 3-5), who knocked off the Cats a year ago in Tuscaloosa, come into Lexington as the 14th-ranked team in the latest Omni Hotels/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings. Alabama split a couple of home matches last weekend in falling to second-ranked Florida and knocking off 20th-ranked South Carolina.
Friday’s match features five ITA-ranked student-athletes; No. 13 Jesse Witten, No. 65 Karim Benmansour and No. 113 Rahim Esmail of Kentucky and No. 75 Maxim Belski and No. 91 Chris Gostek for Alabama.
The Cats are coming off of a split of road matches last weekend. Kentucky shut out Arkansas Friday, March 28 in Fayetteville, while UK fell on the short end of a 4-2 count at LSU last Sunday, March 30.
The battle with the Crimson Tide will be Kentucky’s 17th match this season against a ranked opponent. The Cats are 8-8 in the previous 16 matches; the eight losses represent the only UK losses of the season, and Kentucky has not lost against an opponent outside of the top twenty.
A tennis clinic will be conducted prior to the match by highly-regarded ATP instructor Wayne Bryan. The clinic is free of charge and open to the public. The event is sponsored by Wilson and will be held at the Boone Tennis Complex beginning at 5 p.m., rain or shine.
Kentucky Coach Dennis Emery sees the clinic as an opportunity for people in the Commonwealth to learn from one of the best.
“I’ve seen Wayne Bryan conduct these clinics around the country, and he’s a phenomenal instructor. He’s a great individual from which to learn the fundamentals of tennis,” Emery said.
Bryan is the father and coach of twins Bob and Mike Bryan, who comprise the world’s second-ranked doubles pair. The twins also are members of the United States Davis Cup team.
