Cats Take No. 21 Oklahoma Down to Wire in 4-3 Loss

ORLANDO, Fla. – Never trailing until the match’s final point, No. 49 Kentucky (6-6) gave No. 21 Oklahoma (8-3) all it could handle before falling 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at the USTA National Campus Collegiate Series.
 
The Wildcats began the day by earning the match’s double point on courts one and two. Top singles pair Cesar Bourgois and Enzo Wallart defeated Oklahoma’s Alex Bakshi and Ferran Calvo 6-1, followed by a 6-4 win for Ryo Matsumura and Kento Yamada over Sooners Stefano Tsorotiotis and Jake Van Emburgh.
 
Yamada was the first singles player to earn another point, defeating Calvo 6-2, 6-2 on court three. The win improves the sophomore’s overall singles record to 11-0 on the season, with two wins coming in the third slot of the Kentucky lineup.
 
After Oklahoma’s Mason Beiler got the Sooners on the board with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over freshman Theo McDonald, Bourgois picked up his sixth win of the year with a 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Jochen Bertsch.
 
With the Cats leading 3-1, Oklahoma recaptured momentum and never relinquished. UK senior Enzo Wallart fell 6-3, 6-3 to Van Emburgh for just his second loss of the season, before No. 29 Ryo Matsumura dropped a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 decision to Bakshi on court one.
 
With the match knotted 3-3, former Eastern Kentucky transfer Parth Aggarwal pushed his second official appearance in blue and white to a tiebreak scenario in the second set, ultimately falling 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) to OU’s Max Stewart.
 
Kentucky will head to the Magnolia State next weekend, opening Southeastern Conference play with No. 48 Ole Miss and No. 9 Mississippi State. The Cats will take on the former on Friday, March 1 at 7 p.m. ET.
 
For the latest on Kentucky men’s tennis, follow @UKMensTennis on Twitter and @KentuckyMensTennis on Instagram, and follow the team on the web at UKAthletics.com.
 
#21 Oklahoma def. #49 Kentucky 4-3
 
Singles

1. Alex Bakshi (OU) def. #29 Ryo Matsumura (UK) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
2. Jake Van Emburgh (OU) def. Enzo Wallart (UK) 6-3, 6-3
3. Kento Yamada (UK) def. Ferran Calvo (OU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Cesar Bourgois (UK) def. Jochen Bertsch (OU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Mason Beiler (OU) def. Theo McDonald (UK) 6-4, 6-2
6. Max Stewart (OU) def. Parth Aggarwal (UK) 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)

 
Doubles

1. Cesar Bourgois/Enzo Wallart (UK) def. Alex Bakshi/Ferran Calvo (OU) 6-1
2. Ryo Matsumura/Kento Yamada (UK) def. Stefano Tsorotiotis/Jake Van Emburgh (OU) 6-4
3. Spencer Papa/Matt Rodriguez (OU) def. Fabian Penzkofer/Theo McDonald (UK) 6-1