Oct. 29, 2010

LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky men’s tennis freshman Maks Gold won two singles matches, both in straight sets, advancing him to the semifinals of the Louisville Winter Invitational Flight A singles main draw at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Louisville on Friday.

Gold started the day with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Brandon Bayliss of Butler before knocking off David O’Hare of Memphis to claim his spot in the quarterfinals. The native of Louisville advances to play Mauricio Ballivian of Dayton in the semifinals Saturday.

Also in Flight A action was fellow freshman Grant Roberts. A native of Lexington, Ky., Roberts went 1-1 Friday, gaining a win in the singles consolation round over Shaun Waters 6-1, 7-5 after dropping a tightly-contested match 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (5) in the first round of the main draw to Johnny Ferrer of Memphis. Roberts will play Chris Herron of Butler in the semifinals of the consolation bracket Saturday.

Gold and Roberts also teamed up in doubles action Friday as well, falling in the first round of the Flight A doubles bracket 8-6 to Ballivian and Jonathan Hadash of Dayton. The UK duo will play Saturday in the doubles consolation bracket against Bayliss and Zach Ervin of Butler starting at 9 a.m. ET.

Junior Matt Davis played in the singles Flight B bracket Friday, winning his first-round match over Ervin of Butler 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 before falling in the second round to Hadash of Dayton 6-4, 6-1.

The tournament, which continues at 9 a.m. ET Saturday with doubles action, features two divisions in both singles and doubles with main draw and consolation play. Kentucky is joined at the tournament by Belmont, Butler, Chicago State, Drake, Indiana-Southeast, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis and Middle Tennessee.