No. 20 UK Outlasted 4-3 at No. 13 UGA

ATHENS, Ga. – In its first taste of competition in two full weeks, No. 20 Kentucky (14-4, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) fought down to the wire in a 4-3 loss at No. 13 Georgia (10-5, 4-4 SEC) on Friday.
 
While the match ultimately came down to the third set on court five, it was the first three singles matchups that featured ranked foes on both sides of the net. No. 22 Liam Draxl earned his third top-20 win of the season, while No. 46 Gabriel Diallo captured his first ranked win.
 
Once the Bulldogs claimed the opening doubles point, Diallo wasted no time tying the team score with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over No. 68 Tyler Zink. The teams spent the next five points trading punches, as César Bourgois fell on court four before No. 84 Joshua Lapdat realized his first singles win since Jan. 31 with a 6-2, 6-3 decision over Erik Grevelius on court six.
 
Draxl stormed back from a slow start to beat No. 20 Trent Bryde 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 on the top court, followed by No. 125 Millen Hurrion going down on court three. All eyes turned to the finishing touches of a three-set battle between Yasha Zemel and Billy Rowe, where the latter produced a 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 clincher.
 
The Wildcats will continue a two-match road swing with a voyage approximately 200 miles north, taking on No. 3 Tennessee (18-2, 7-1 SEC) on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
 
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, follow @UKMensTennis on Twitter and Facebook, @kentuckymenstennis on Instagram, and on the web at UKAthletics.com.
 
 
#13 Georgia 4, #20 Kentucky 3
 
Singles
1.#22 Liam Draxl (UK) def. #20 Trent Bryde (UGA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
2.#46 Gabriel Diallo (UK) def. #68 Tyler Zink (UGA) 6-1, 6-1
3.#29 Philip Henning (UGA) def. #125 Millen Hurrion (UK) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
4.Blake Croyder (UGA) def. César Bourgois (UK) 6-4, 6-3
5.Billy Rowe (UGA) def. Yasha Zemel (UK) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
6.#84 Joshua Lapadat (UK) def. Erik Grevelius (UGA) 6-2, 6-3
 
Doubles
1.#7 Trent Bryde/Tyler Zink (UGA) def. #20 César Bourgois/Gabriel Diallo (UK) 6-1
2.Millen Hurrion/Liam Draxl (UK) vs. #64 Billy Rowe/Blake Croyder (UGA) 4-3, unfinished
3.Philip Henning/Erik Grevelius (GA) def. Yasha Zemel/Joshua Lapadat (UK) 6-2
 
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,4,6,1,3,5)