Wildcats Wrap Up FGCU Invite with Strong Results

FORT MEYERS, Fla. – The Kentucky Wildcats men’s tennis program earned six wins in total, including a sweep of doubles play, on Sunday afternoon, facing both Florida Gulf Coast and LSU in the final day of the FGCU Invite.

Weather altered the course of the day, with the Wildcats fitting in doubles against LSU before roughly six hours of rain delayed the matches until the late afternoon. With travel complications, LSU and Memphis left the tournament, leaving FGCU and Kentucky to compete in singles action.

In doubles, Kentucky took both matches from Southeastern conference foe LSU. Junior Nils Ellefsen and senior Kevin Lai toppled Justin Butsch and Simon Freund, 6-2. Freshmen Ryotaro Matsamura and Enzo Wallart defeated Gabor Csonka and Tam Trinh, 7-5.

In singles, Ellefsen and Lai earned wins along with sophomores Jake Stefanik and Gus Benson. Ellefsen faced Andres Alfonzo, earning a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win. Lai (6-4, 3-6, 6-3), Stefanik (6-4, 4-6, 6-4) and Benson (7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-4) all played tough matches that went three sets with the respective opponents, each resulting in Wildcat victories.

The Wildcats will kick off the dual season on Friday, Jan. 15, hosting both Northern Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky, beginning at 1 p.m.

Singles

ELLEFSEN, Nils (Kentucky) def. ALFONZO, Andres (Florida Gulf Coast) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 

VENTURA, Ricky (Florida Gulf Coast) def. YATES, Trey (Kentucky) 6-3, 6-2

CERRINI, Ezequiel (Florida Gulf Coast) def. HUSSEY, Austin (Kentucky) 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3) 

STEFANIK, Jake (Kentucky) def. ALFONZO, Eduardo (Florida Gulf Coast) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 

BENSON, Gus (Kentucky) def. LANDERT, Oliver (Florida Gulf Coast) 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-4

LAI, Kevin (Kentucky) def. FERNANDEZ, Javier (Florida Gulf Coast) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

Doubles

ELLEFSEN, Nils/LAI, Kevin (Kentucky) def. BUTSCH, Justin/FREUND, Simon (LSU) 6-2

MATSAMURA, Ryotaro/WALLART, Enzo (Kentucky) def. CSONKA, Gabor/TRINH, Tam (LSU) 7-5

For more information on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, follow @UKMensTennis on Twitter or Kentucky Men’s Tennis Team on Facebook.