Cats Sweep Dogs, Complete Perfect Home Record
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 17 Kentucky (17-6, 7-5 Southeastern Conference) swept No. 16 Mississippi State (15-8, 5-7 SEC) 4-0 on Sunday, concluding the 2020-21 regular season with a perfect 15-0 record at Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
Prior to a match that began outdoors and finished inside with a brief rain delay in between, the Kentucky program honored fifth-year Wildcat César Bourgois with a special senior day ceremony. The 6-foot-4 Paris native made the most of his increased spotlight, clinching the final points of both doubles and singles play to propel the Cats to victory.
“I think that the team came out really strong again today,” said Bourgois. “We battled very well against a tough Mississippi State team. The conditions were not easy, but the boys stayed focused. Clinching the match on senior day is very special to me, I couldn’t even imagine a better ending.”
Doubles play began with a wire-to-wire 6-2 victory for Canadian underclassmen Alexandre LeBlanc and Joshua Lapadat over Giovanni Oradini and Nicolas Ocana on court three. After trailing early on the top court, the 20th-ranked pair of Bourgois and Gabriel Diallo stormed back for a 7-5 win over No. 52 Florian Broska and Gregor Ramskogler.
Singles play was much of the same for Kentucky, as every Wildcat but Bourgois claimed his respective opening set. Despite a change of game speed when the match moved indoors, No. 60 Millen Hurrion was the first to tear through straight sets with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Alberto Colas on court three.
A second-set battle for No. 7 Liam Draxl ended in a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) triumph over the 51st-ranked Oradini on court one, making way for Bourgois to recover from another slow start to a statement finish. The team co-captain capped off a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 71 Nemanja Malesevic, causing the remaining three singles bouts to be abandoned.
Kentucky’s tie for fourth in the SEC standings marks its best finish since 2016. Postseason play is set to begin with the 2021 SEC Championship on April 19-23 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
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.
#17 Kentucky 4, #16 Mississippi State 0
Singles
1.#7 Liam Draxl (UK) def. #51 Giovanni Oradini (MSU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
2.#31 Gabriel Diallo (UK) vs. #45 Florian Broska (MSU) 7-5, 5-7, unfinished
3.#60 Millen Hurrion (UK) def. Alberto Colas (MSU) 6-2, 7-5
4.César Bourgois (UK) def. #71 Nemanja Malesevic (MSU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
5.#97 Joshua Lapadat (UK) vs. Carles Hernandez (MSU) 6-2, 2-2, unfinished
6.Alexandre LeBlanc (UK) vs. #49 Davide Tortora (MSU) 6-4, 1-1, unfinished
Doubles
1.#20 César Bourgois/Gabriel Diallo (UK) def. #52 Florian Broska/Gregor Ramskogler (MSU) 7-5
2.Millen Hurrion/Liam Draxl (UK) vs. Davide Tortora/Nemanja Malesevic (MSU) 6-6 (0-1), unfinished
3.Alexandre LeBlanc/Joshua Lapadat (UK) def. Giovanni Oradini/Nicolas Ocana (MSU) 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,1,4)
