Cats Fall 4-2 at No. 7 Wake Forest in ITA Kick-Off Weekend Finals

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After opening its Spring 2020 slate with four straight victories, Kentucky’s first ranked test of the season resulted in a 4-2 loss at No. 7 Wake Forest on Saturday in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend finals.
 
Despite the loss, Kentucky freshman Alexandre LeBlanc—the No. 55 singles player in college tennis—picked up his first individual ranked win with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of No. 56 Rrezart Cungu.

“Wake Forest is a very tough place to go,” said UK assistant coach Matthew Gordon. “The young guys got a taste of what it’s like playing away against a top team and they will learn from it. We took care of business in doubles, and Alex did a great job again in singles, but other than that, credit to them for playing better than us. We have work to do. but we will get there. This is a good team.”
 
The Wildcats kept their streak of doubles points alive by jumping out to an early 1-0 lead when the underclassman pair of LeBlanc and Kevin Huempfner and first-year duo Gabriel Diallo and Millen Hurrion each snagged 6-3 wins on the last two courts.
 
LeBlanc, however, was the only Cat to emerge victorious among the five completed singles bouts. Freshman Liam Draxl, Kentucky’s top competitor, dropped a 6-4, 6-3 battle to 2019 ITA All-American and 43^rd-ranked junior Bar Botzer.
 
Kentucky will return to action with another doubleheader at Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Complex on Tuesday, taking on IUPUI at noon ET and Dayton at 4 p.m.
 
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.
 
Wake Forest 4, Kentucky 2
 
Singles

1. #43 Bar Botzer (WF) def. Liam Draxl (UK) 6-4, 6-3
2. Taha Baadi (WF) def. Millen Hurrion (UK) 6-3, 7-6(4)
3. Melios Efstathiou (WF) def. Gabriel Diallo (UK) 6-4, 6-2
4. Henri Squire (WF) def. César Bourgois (UK) 6-4, 6-4
5. #55 Alexandre LeBlanc (UK) def. #56 Rrezart Cungu (WF) 6-3, 6-3
6. #67 Siddhant Banthia (WF) vs. Kento Yamada (UK) 7-6 (7-2), 3-2, unfinished

Doubles

1. Eduardo Nava/Henri Squire (WF) vs. César Bourgois/Liam Draxl (UK) 5-6, unfinished
2. Gabriel Diallo/Millen Hurrion (UK) def. Bar Botzer/Taha Baadi (WF) 6-3
3. Alexandre LeBlanc/Kevin Huempfner (UK) def. Melios Efstathiou/Siddhant Banthia (WF) 6-3

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