May 10, 2003
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 13th-seeded University of Kentucky men’s tennis team wasted little time in dispatching Hampton Saturday at UK’s Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex, defeating the overmatched Pirates by a 4-0 count. The Cats took the doubles point with little resistance, and UK recorded three straight-set singles victories to clinch the victory.
Junior Rahim Esmail and sophomore Jesse Witten got things started off for Kentucky with an easy 8-3 win at No. 1 doubles. At No. 3, sophomore Evan Austin and freshman Alex Hume sealed the doubles point for the Cats with an 8-5 victory.
Esmail continued his stellar play at No. 5 singles, never surrendering a single game in a two-set victory over Hampton’s Valter Paiva. Hume continued Kentucky’s dominance with an effortless 6-1, 6-1 victory over Albert Aseidu-Ofei. Junior Karim Benmansour put the finishing touches on Kentucky’s first-round NCAA victory with a 6-3, 6-0 win at No. 3 over Ladislav Rezac.
With the victory, Kentucky advances to the NCAA regional final against Ohio State, a 4-0 winner over Arkansas. A win over the Buckeyes Sunday would send the Cats to the NCAA Tennis Championships for the second straight year. The Cats’ battle with the Buckeyes is set for 1 p.m. ET at UK’s Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex. Admission is $5 for people of all ages and $3 for students.
AGATE:
Doubles1. Rahim Esmail/Jesse Witten (UK) def. Valter Paiva/Jose Pinto (HU) 8-32. Karim Benmansour/Matt Emery (UK) vs. Glauco Nascimento/Ladislav Rezac (HU) susp.3. Evan Austin/Alex Hume (UK) def. Amine Elouazzani/Albert Aseidu-Ofei (HU) 8-5
Singles
1. Jesse Witten (UK) vs. Jose Pinto (HU) susp.2. Evan Austin (UK) vs. Glauco Nascimento (HU) susp.3. Karim Benmansour (UK) def. Ladislav Rezac (HU) 6-3, 6-04. Matt Emery (UK) vs. Amine Elouazzani (HU) susp.5. Rahim Esmail (UK) def. Valter Paiva (HU) 6-0, 6-06. Alex Hume (UK) def. Albert Aseidu-Ofei (HU) 6-1, 6-1
