Kentucky Plays Host to Louisville, No. 15 Duke
Kentucky (3-2, 0-0 SEC) returns to the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex this weekend, hosting a pair of Atlantic Coast Conference rivals on Friday and Sunday. In-state rival Louisville (6-2, 0-0 ACC) will make the trip down Interstate 64 for a 5 p.m. ET match on January 30 before No. 15 Duke (4-1, 0-0 ACC) heads to Lexington for a Noon ET contest on February 1.
Admission to all regular season home matches is free to the public. Fans at Friday’s match will receive free Chick-fil-A while supplies last and will have the opportunity to win a UK Swag Bag. On Sunday, free pizza will be available to fans while supplies last.
The Wildcats aim to extend their success in home matches, currently holding a 30-match home winning streak. Since 2021, Kentucky is 74-5 in matches at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex.
Friday’s matchup between the Cats and the Cardinals will be the 31st meeting between the two schools as varsity programs. Kentucky currently holds a pristine 30-0 record in the all-time series.
Kentucky and Duke are set to play for the 26th time, with Duke holding a 15-10 advantage in the series. The two programs met annually from 2013-2024, with the Cats winning seven of the 12 matches in that span. Duke won the last meeting between the two programs in Durham during the 2024 season, but Kentucky has won the last four meetings in Lexington.
Louisville native Eli Stephenson has been leading the Wildcats during the young 2026 season, holding a 15-3 record since the beginning of the fall. The junior currently ranks No. 19 in the ITA Singles Rankings and has earned eight ranked singles wins this year. In the dual season, Stephenson is 4-0, including 3-0 against ranked opponents, and has yet to drop a set.
Kentucky will continue its season-long eight-match homestand next weekend, hosting Northern Kentucky for a doubleheader on Friday, February 6 and welcoming Illinois for a rematch of last weekend’s ITA Kickoff at Noon ET on Sunday, February 8.
For the latest on UK Men’s Tennis, follow the Wildcats on X and Instagram at @UKMensTennis.
