LEXINGTON, Ky. ? After welcoming a strong field of 20 participants to the Fluitt Invitational, including 13 ranked players, the Kentucky men?s tennis team rose to the occasion posting a victory in each player?s opening match to start the day 4-0 Saturday at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex. By the end of the day, the Wildcats placed three men into the quarterfinals that begin Sunday at 10 a.m. ET.
?We had a good day today,? said UK head men?s tennis coach Dennis Emery. ?We realize in college tennis the emphasis is on the spring not the individual fall tournaments, but it is a chance to gather momentum for the season and I think we did that today.?
Wildcats senior team captain Marcus Sundh opened the day with a straight-set victory over Illinois? Connor Roth 7-6(3), 6-0 in an opening-round match. Playing on the next court over, UK freshman Brad Cox made his home debut in competition in an opening-round tilt by defeating a ranked player. Cox took down Chris Racz (No.84) of Tennessee 6-3, 7-6(7).
?Sundh and Cox both played well today, especially with Cox beating a player ranked 84th in the country,? said Emery.
Kentucky senior Will Ward (No. 90) fought through a tough three-set match against Ricardo Soriano (No. 67) of Tulsa in the round of 16. After losing the first set in extra games 7-5, Ward fought back to win the second 6-4, setting up the deciding set. Ward held off Soriano in a back-and-forth third set to clinch the match at 6-4.
?Ward played very composed today, beating a player ranked number 67 in the country,? said Emery. ?He played the big points really well. It might be the best match I have seen him play since he has been at Kentucky. He was able to handle a tough situation both physically and mentally.?
In the afternoon session, UK junior Bruno Agostinelli opened play in the round of 16 against Jordan Rux of Baylor. Agostinelli (No. 44) dispatched Rux in straight sets 6-4, 6-1 to join Ward in the quarterfinals. Baylor?s Matt Brown (No. 110) awaits Agostinelli in the quarterfinals.
?Bruno was on top of his game today,? said Emery.
Sundh also advanced to the quarters after a walk-over of the second-seeded Greg Ouellette (No. 10) of Florida. Ouellete rolled an ankle warming up and withdrew from the match due to injury. Sundh will face Ward in the quarterfinals in a battle of Wildcats.
Cox faced the third seed Clancy Shields (No. 38) of Boise State in his round of 16 match. Cox lost a tough first set 7-5 but couldn?t hold on falling 6-3 in the second.
The winner of Kentucky?s Fluitt Invitational earns a spot in the qualifying tournament of the 2008 Cincinnati ATP Masters Series tournament.
The whole field returns to action Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. ET at the Boone Tennis Complex. Consolation round action and quarterfinals will fill the courts for the morning session before semifinals of the main draw and consolations begin the afternoon session at 2 p.m. ET. The final is set for 10 a.m. ET Monday.
