Young Wildcats Make Mark at Malibu Showdown

MALIBU, Calif. – The Kentucky Men’s Tennis team opened its fall slate this past weekend, partaking in the Malibu Showdown Invitational hosted by the Pepperdine Waves, Friday through Sunday.

Participating teams at the event included Kentucky, Pepperdine, Louisville and Michigan. All four teams reached at least the second round at the 2023 NCAA Tournament, with Kentucky and Michigan both advancing to the national quarterfinals.

The invitational featured three hidden duals for each team consisting of both doubles and singles. Although team scores are not officially kept for the event, Kentucky went 2-1 with wins over Louisville and Pepperdine. Sunday’s finale against Michigan resulted in a narrow defeat, although two singles matches elected to play a super tiebreaker in lieu of a third set due to time constraints.

Kentucky’s three-man freshmen class was particularly impressive as the trio combined to go 7-2 in singles overall for the weekend, led by a perfect 3-0 record for Matt Rankin. Fellow freshman Eli Stephenson picked up the two ranked wins at the event for the Wildcats, defeating No. 42 Natan Rodrigues of Louisville and No. 85 Will Cooksey of Michigan.

The full results from the weekend are below.

Malibu Showdown Invitational Results

Friday: UK vs Louisville

Singles

• Eli Stephenson (UK) def. #42 Natan Rodrigues (UofL) 7-5, 6-2
• Jack Loutit (UK) def. Andre’ Steinbach (UofL) 5-7, 6-3, 6-0
• Will Mayew (UofL) def. Christophe Clement (UK) 3-6,6-4,6-2
• Charlelie Cosnet (UK) def. Piet Steveker (UofL) 6-1, 6-4
• JJ Mercer (UK) def. Miguel Avendano (UofL) 7-6(2), 7-6 (8)
• Matt Rankin (UK) def. Kosuke Nakanishi (UofL) 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-4
• Evan Duggal (UofL) def. Tate Sandman (UK) 6-2, 6-4

Doubles

• Rodrigues/ Mayew (UofL) def. Mercer/Stephenson (UK) 6-3
• Cosnet/Loutit (UK) def. Steinbach/Avendano (UofL) 6-2
• Rankin/Clement (UK) def. Steveker/Nakanishi (UofL) 7-5

Saturday: UK vs. Pepperdine

Singles 

• Edward Winter (PEPP) def. Eli Stephenson (UK) 6-3, 6-3
• Charlelie Cosnet (UK) def. George Davis (PEPP) 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6(3)
• Jack Loutit (UK) def. Maxi Homberg (PEPP) 6-2, 6-2
• Linus C. Halldin (PEPP) def. Christophe Clement (UK) 6-3, 6-4
• JJ Mercer (UK) def. Tyler Davis (PEPP) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
• Matt Rankin (UK) def. Photos Photiades (PEPP) 2-6, 6-4, 7-5

Doubles

• Davis/Halldin (PEPP) def. Cosnet/Loutit (UK) 7-6(4)
• Winter/Homberg (PEPP) def. Rankin/Clement (UK) 6-3
• Mercer/Stephenson (UK) def. T. Davis/Photiades (PEPP) 6-1

Sunday: UK vs Michigan 

Singles

• 31 Gavin Young (MICH) def. Jack Loutit (UK) 5-7, 6-4, 10-4
• Jacob Bickersteth (MICH) def. Charlelie Cosnet (UK) 2-6, 7-6(2), 10-4
• Eli Stephenson (UK) def. No. 85 Will Cooksey (MICH) 6-0, 7-6(3)
• Christophe Clement (UK) def. Nicholas Steiglehner (MICH) 6-3, 6-2
• Bjorn Swenson (MICH) def. JJ Mercer (UK) 6-1, 6-3
• Matt Rankin (UK) def. Mert Oral (MICH) 7-6(3), 6-3

Doubles

• Young/Bickersteth (MICH) def. Mercer/Stephenson (UK) 6-2
• Cosnet/Loutit (UK) def. Cooksey/Steiglehner (MICH) 6-2
• Swenson/Oral (MICH) def. Rankin/Clement (UK) 6-3

For the latest on UK Men’s Tennis, follow the Wildcats on X and Instagram at @UKMensTennis.