Diallo’s Clincher Lifts Kentucky to 5-2 Win at Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Kentucky continued its hot start to the spring season with a 5-2 win at Notre Dame on Sunday. The Wildcats improve to 3-0 on the season, dropping the Fighting Irish to 0-1.
 
With the Wildcats clinging to a 3-2 lead, freshman Gabriel Diallo earned the afternoon’s clinching victory in a 7-6(5), 7-6(4) tiebreak against Notre Dame junior William Howells to lift his team to its first road win.
 
“I’m just happy that we got the win and proud of the way that everybody competed,” Diallo said. “Notre Dame is a good team, especially when they play at home, and winning today showed the fighting spirit that our team has, from all the players to the coaching staff.”
 
Diallo and former Gardner-Webb transfer Millen Hurrion began the day with a 6-2 win over Richard Ciamarra and Matt Gamble on the second doubles court before underclassmen Alexandre LeBlanc and Kevin Huempfner put the Cats up 1-0 with a 6-3 triumph over Howells and Guillermo Cabrera.
 
After Notre Dame tied the contest at 1-1, Huempfner placed the Cats back on top with a 7-6(4), 6-1 win over Matthew Che in the last singles slot. Hurrion soon extended Kentucky’s lead with the first ranked win of his UK career, defeating No. 102 Axel Nefve 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.
 
Standout freshman Liam Draxl pushed the No. 5 singles player in the nation to a three-set battle in the top singles matchup, ultimately receiving his first collegiate loss in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 contest with Ciamarra. Once Diallo gave Kentucky the cushion it needed to assure the win, junior Kento Yamada saw his opponent, Cabrera, retire in the third set to conclude the match with a 5-2 final.
 
Sunday marks Kentucky’s first win over Notre Dame in the annual series since 2017. The Wildcats are set to return to action with ITA Kick-Off Weekend next Friday and Saturday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
 
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, follow @UKMensTennis on Twitter and Facebook, @kentuckymenstennis on Instagram, and follow along on the web at UKAthletics.com.
 
Kentucky 5, Notre Dame 2
 
Singles

1. #5 Richard Ciamarra (ND) def. Liam Draxl (UK) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
2. Millen Hurrion (UK) def. #102 Axel Nefve (ND) 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
3. Tristan McCormick (ND) def. César Bourgois (UK) 7-5, 6-4
4. Gabriel Diallo (UK) def. William Howells (ND) 7-6(5), 7-6(4)
5. Kento Yamada (UK) def. Guillermo Cabrera (ND) 4-6, 7-5, 2-1 retired
6. Kevin Huempfner (UK) def. Matthew Che (ND) 7-6(4), 6-1

Doubles

1. César Bourgois/Liam Draxl (UK) vs. Tristan McCormick/Axel Nefve (ND) 6-6(3-2) unfinished
2. Gabriel Diallo/Millen Hurrion (UK) def. Richard Ciamarra/Matt Gamble (ND) 6-2
3. Alexandre LeBlanc/Kevin Huempfner (UK) def. Guillermo Cabrera/William Howells (ND) 6-3

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (3,6,2,1,4,5)