Men's Tennis
No. 8 Kentucky Sweeps Louisville, Extends Perfect Series Record

No. 8 Kentucky Sweeps Louisville, Extends Perfect Series Record

LOUISVILLE, Ky. –  After surviving a scare against Memphis on Thursday night, No. 8 Kentucky (6-1, 0-0 SEC) made quick work of the Battle of the Bluegrass on Sunday. The Wildcats used the doubles point and singles wins at No. 2, No. 3, and No. 5 to knock off Louisville (4-3, 0-0 ACC) 4-0.

The Wildcats now hold a perfect 30-0 advantage in the all-time series between the two in-state rivals dating back to the first meeting between the two schools as varsity programs in 1983.

After dropping the doubles point for only the second time this season on Thursday, the Cats wasted no time in gaining an early advantage. All three Kentucky teams claimed early breaks and never faced a scoreboard deficit in the match’s opening session. Martin Breysach and Jaden Weekes claimed the first victory on Court No. 1, taking down Louisville’s top pair of Natan Rodrigues and Andre Steinback, 6-2. Only one minute later, Antoine Ghibuado and Eli Stephenson—teaming up for the first time this season—wrapped up a 6-3 win on Court No. 2 to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead in the dual.

Kentucky continued to dominate the match as singles play began, taking the first set on all six courts. Matt Rankin was the first Wildcat to finish, continuing the momentum from his clinching win on Thursday to cruise to a 6-1, 6-2 victory on Court No. 5 against Miguel Avendano.

No. 79 Charlelie Cosnet also picked up a straight sets victory for the second time this week, defeating Kosuke Nakanishi 6-2, 6-4 on Court No. 3.

No. 39 Weekes earned the clinching win for the Cats, taking down Steinbach in a topsy-turvy three set match that did not see a set go past seven games. Weekes dominated the first set, earning the advantage without dropping a game. However, Steinbach recovered quickly and pushed the No. 2 singles match into a third set. The Montreal native would gain the momentum back for the Cats and race to a easy win in the deciding set, clinching the rivalry win for the Cats, 6-0, 1-6, 6-1.

Ghibaudo and Stepehenson won their first sets in tiebreaks, but has their singles matches abandoned in the second frame. Martin Breysach was in a decisive third set when play concluded.

Sunday’s win also marked the first road victory of the 2025 campaign for Kentucky.

The Wildcats will sit idle in the upcoming week while preparing for the 2025 ITA Indoor National Championships in Dallas, Texas. Action in Kentucky’s pod—hosted at SMU’s Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex—will begin on Friday, February 14 with first round action. The Wildcats will be joined in Dallas by Michigan, NC State, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Virginia, and Wake Forest—with the other eight schools in the event playing their opening rounds at Baylor. Draws, seeding, and first round match times will be announced in the coming weeks.

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

No. 8 Kentucky vs. Louisville

Doubles Results

  1. Breysach/Weekes (UK) def. Rodrigues/Steinbach (UL) 6-2
  2. Ghibaudo/Stephenson (UK) def. El Amine/Mayew (UL) 6-3
  3. Cosnet/Rankin (UK) vs. Avendano/Nakanishi (UL) 5-4 (unfinished)

Order of finish: 1, 2

Singles Results

  1. Antoine Ghibaudo (UK) vs. Natan Rodrigues (UL) 7-6 (6), 2-1 (unfinished)
  2. No. 39 Jaden Weekes (UK) def. Andre Steinbach (UL) 6-0, 1-6, 6-1
  3. No. 79 Charlelie Cosnet (UK) def. Kosuke Nakanishi (UL) 6-2, 6-4
  4. Eli Stephenson (UK) vs. Will Mayew (UL) 7-6 (6), 4-4 (unfinished)
  5. Matt Rankin (UK) def. Miguel Avendano (UL) 6-1, 6-2
  6. Martin Breysach (UK) vs. Hamza El-Amine (UL) 6-4, 4-6, 2-2 (unfinished)

Order of finish: 5, 3, 2

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