The Florida men’s tennis team earned five singles victories along with three doubles wins on the second day of the 2010 Gator Invitational at the Linder Stadium/Ring Tennis Complex.
“It is nice to be 17-1 over the first two days,” Florida coach Andy Jackson remarked. “I am excited for (Sunday) because we will be playing SEC-caliber opponents.”
Bob van Overbeek partnered with Billy Federhofer and triumphed 8-6 over the 52nd-ranked pair of Blaze Schwartz and Joe Delinks from Central Florida. Florida’s 20th-rated tandem of Alexandre Lacroix and Nassim Slilam topped Central Florida’s Eugene Dolgovykh and Matthew Zachary, 8-3. Florida’s last doubles victory was earned by Michael Alford and Andrew Butz, who blanked Mario Samson and Matthew Gladstone of Central Florida, 8-0.
In singles action, Lacroix, ranked No. 9 nationally, prevailed over UCF’s Schwartz, 6-2, 6-2. After a challenging first set, Slilam took control in the second and picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win over Delinks. Sophomore van Overbeek breezed past Samson, 6-0, 6-0. Butz defeated Dolgovykh, 6-2, 6-2, and Billy Federhofer downed UCF’s Matthew Zachary, 6-2, 7-5.
Alford was unable to complete his match against Taylor Albrecht of North Florida due to injury. The Gator freshman was up a set at 6-4, 4-5 when he was forced to retire.
Play will resume on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. with doubles and conclude with singles shortly thereafter. Admission is free.