LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky men’s tennis team won all three doubles matches and posted wins in five of the six singles matches to improve its home record to 8-0 this season and defeat Murray State 6-1 at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex on Wednesday.
Kentucky (11-3) started off the match with an impressive performance in doubles, getting wins at all three positions. Freshmen Ryuji Hirooka and Grant Roberts led the UK charge by posting an 8-0 victory at No. 3 doubles over Mason Johnson and Jose Berardo. The Wildcats clinched the doubles point at No. 1 doubles when senior Alberto Gonzalez and freshman Tom Jomby earned an 8-2 win over Jorge Caetano and Joao Camara. UK also posted a win at No. 2 doubles when freshmen Alejandro Gomez and Maks Gold took down Luka Milicevie and Arthur Valle.
The Wildcats continued their strong play in singles, winning five of the six singles matches by straight sets. Gonzalez, ranked 86th in the nation, was the first Wildcat to post a singles victory, defeating Camara 6-1 in the first set and 3-0 in the second set before Camara retired due to injury. Gomez gave the Wildcats a 3-0 led when he took down Johnson 6-2, 6-0, while Roberts claimed the match for Kentucky by posting a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles.
Jomby continued his stellar start to the season with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles over Milicevic, while Hirooka also won 6-2, 6-2 over Berardo at No. 6 singles. Murray State’s lone point came at No. 4 singles when Valle defeated Gold 7-6 (5), 6-3.
UK is 8-0 at home this season and 36-6 at the Boone Tennis Complex since the start of the 2009 season.
Kentucky will return to action Friday when it travels to No. 31 Ole Miss for its Southeastern Conference opener at 3 p.m. ET. After the match with the Rebels, UK travels to Starkville, Miss., to face No. 43 Mississippi State at 1 p.m. ET. Live stats for both matches will be available at UKathletics.com.
For more information on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, visit UKathletics.com or follow the “University of Kentucky Men’s Tennis Team” on Facebook.
No. 12 Kentucky 6, Murray State 1
Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex – Lexington, Ky.
March 2, 2011
Singles
#1 – Grant Roberts (UK) def. Jorge Caetano (MSU) 6-2, 6-1
#2 – No. 86 Alberto Gonzalez (UK) def. Joao Camara (MSU) 6-1, 3-0 ret.
#3 – Tom Jomby (UK) def. Luka Milicevic (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
#4 – Arthur Valle (MSU) def. Maks Gold (UK) 7-6 (5), 6-3
#5 – Alejandro Gomez (UK) def. Mason Johnson (MSU) 6-2, 6-0
#6 – Ryuji Hirooka (UK) def. Jose Berardo (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
#1 – Alberto Gonzalez/Tom Jomby (UK) def. Jorge Caetano/Joao Camara (MSU) 8-2
#2 – Alejandro Gomez/Maks Gold (UK) def. Luka Milicevie/Arthur Valle (MSU) 8-6
#3 – Ryuji Hirooka/Grant Roberts (UK) def. Mason Johnson/Jose Berardo (MSU) 8-0
Order of Finish:
Singles – 2, 5, 1*, 3, 6, 4
Doubles – 3, 1*, 2
