Gator Country

Florida freshman Sekou Bangoura Jr. tallied the clincher over Claudio Romano on the second court, 6-0, 6-2 during the Gators' 7-0 win against UCF on Friday at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex. / Gator Country photo by Casey Brooke Lawson

The University of Florida’s 11th-ranked men’s tennis team cruised to a 7-0 victory against the University of Central Florida to open its dual match season on Friday at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex, winning all six singles matches in straight sets.

The Gator attack was led by junior Alexandre Lacroix, the No. 7 player in the nation, who scored a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Marc Rocafort at the No. 1 position in just 61 minutes, winning the first nine games in a row. Moments later, senior Antoine Benneteau nailed down a 6-1, 6-1 victory at fifth singles, and freshman Sekou Bangoura Jr. tallied the clincher over Claudio Romano on the second court, 6-0, 6-2.

Freshman Billy Federhofer posted a 6-3, 6-3 victory in the sixth position, while Burkhardt and freshman Bob Van Overbeek capped the sweep for the Gators. Van Overbeek overcame a slow start in the opening set to rally for a 7-5, 6-2 victory.

In doubles play, the 10th-ranked pair of Benneteau and Lacroix posted a dominating 8-2 win over No. 21 Rocafort and Romano, while Bangoura and Burkhardt also scored an 8-2 win on the second court. After the doubles point had been clinched, Federhofer and Van Overbeek fell, 8-3, at No. 3.

The Gators now travel to Waco, Texas, to take on the No. 6 Baylor Bears at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. They will be back at home the following Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 30-31, to host the ITA Kick-Off Weekend, facing Furman at 10 a.m. on Saturday, followed by Georgia Tech vs. Penn State at 1 p.m. On Sunday, the consolation match starts at 9 a.m. and the championship at 1 p.m. Admission to the ITA Kick-Off Weekend is free.

Photo Gallery: UF Men’s Tennis vs. UCF, 1/22/10

DIRECTORY OF GATOR COUNTRY PHOTO GALLERIES

About the author

jumper42

Casey Brooke Lawson earned a B.S. in journalism from the University of Florida in December 2008. Lawson was born in Sarasota, Fla., but now still resides in Gainesville, Fla. Lawson picked up her first camera before she could walk, and now, 24 years later, she has made a career of her first love. She has been working as a photojournalist for eight years. She began at her high school, Sarasota High School, interned with the Gainesville Sun, Sarasota Herald Tribune, The Independent Florida Alligator and Sports Illustrated. Now, Lawson is a regularly contributing photojournalist for Gator Country. Trained in sports photography by Gator Country's own Tim Casey, sports photojournalism has become one of Lawson's favorite parts of her job.

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