Kentucky Came up Short to Alabama, 4-3
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. –No. 30 Kentucky men’s tennis (11-8, 4-5 SEC) falls to No. 33 Alabama men’s tennis (11-8, 3-7 SEC). Kentucky loses the doubles point and is unable to pull the comeback in singles.
In a tight matchup, Kentucky came up short in the doubles contest. On court one, ranked pair No. 83 Damien Nezar and Andrii Zimnokh defeated the Cats pair of No. 21 Jack Loutit and Eli Stephenson, 6-2. Alabama with the advantage, slipped up on court three giving Kentucky a chance at the doubles point. Kentucky’s Antoine Ghibaudo and Jaden Weekes took a win over Alabama’s Enzo Aguiard and Zach Foster, 6-2. Finally in a tiebreaker on court two, Alabama’s ranked pair No. 32 Filip Planinsek and Matic Kriznik defeated Charlelie Cosnet and Martin Breysach, 7-6(4).
In singles, sophomore Weekes put the Cats on the board with a two set win over Alabama’s Aguiard 6-4, 6-4. With the remainder of the courts going to a third set, Breysach was the first to drop. He fell to the Crimson Tide’s Nezar, 7-5, 2-6, 4-6. No. 121 Cosnet was not able to pull the comeback in set three falling to Zimnokh 6-7, 6-1, 4-6. Additionally, No. 63 Ghibaudo could not pull the upset to No. 18 Planinsek losing 6-1, (6)6-7, 2-6.
With the Crimson Tide clinching 4-1, the final two courts finished out their final sets. Matt Rankin pulled through claiming a win on court four over Alabama’s Kriznik 6-1, 6-7, 6-4. Following that, No. 49 Loutit tallied another ranked win over No. 83 Roan Jones 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 making the final score 4-3.
The Cats will return next Friday as they continue their four match road stretch to Austin, TX to matchup with the Texas Longhorns at 7 p.m. ET.
Kentucky vs. Alabama
Doubles:
Court 1: #83 Nezar/ Zimnokh (UA) def. Loutit/Stephenson (UK): 6-2
Court 2: #32 Planinsek/ Kriznik (UA) def. Breysach/Cosnet (UK): 7-6(4)
Court 3: Ghibaudo/Weekes (UK) def. Aguiard/Foster (UA): 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles
Court 1: #18 Filip Planinsek (UA) def. #63 Antoine Ghibaudo (UK): 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-2
Court 2: #49 Jack Loutit (UK) def. #83 Roan Jones (UA): 6-1, (3)6-7, 6-3
Court 3: Jaden Weekes (UK) def. Enzo Aguiard (UA): 6-4, 6-4
Court 4: Andrii Zimnokh (UA) def. #121 Charlelie Cosnet (UK): 6-7, 6-1, 4-6.
Court 5: Matt Rankin (UK) def. Matic Kriznik (UA): 6-1, 6-7, 6-4.
Court 6: Damien Nezar (UA) def. Martin Breysach (UK): 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 6, 4, 1, 2, 5
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