The No. 10 Florida Gators men’s tennis team won its final home match of the season Sunday, blanking Southeastern Conference foe Arkansas, 7-0, in Linder Stadium at the Ring Tennis Complex. Coach Andy Jackson’s Gators finished their home season 11-1.
The Gators (14-6, 5-3 SEC) swept the Razorbacks in doubles action to take a quick 1-0 lead. On court No. 3, freshman Carlos Cueto of Spain and sophomore Alex Lacroix of France needed just 30 minutes to beat Arkansas’ Taylor King and Matt Walters.
Florida’s No. 1 doubles team of freshman Joey Burkhardt and junior Antoine Benneteau clinched the doubles point with an 8-4 victory over Arkansas’ Christopher Nott and Blake Strode. Sophomores Jeff Dadamo and Johnny Hamui completed the doubles sweep with an 8-6 win over Arkansas’ Matthew Hogan and Dmitry Lebedev at No. 2.
Dadamo gave the Gators a 2-0 lead with a quick 6-0, 6-3 victory over Tyler Tamasky at No. 6 singles. That was followed by Burkhardt’s 6-1, 6-0 victory over Lebedev at No. 4 singles. The match-clinching point came at No. 5 singles where Hamui beat Bradwin Williams, 6-4, 6-0.
Lacroix (No. 2), Benneteau (No. 3) and Cueto (No. 1) completed the shutout with straight-set wins for Florida, which travels to Alabama Friday and Auburn on Easter Sunday. Cueto, ranked No. 27, beat 13th-ranked Blake Strode, 6-4, 6-3.
MEN’S TENNIS
Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex, Gainesville
FLORIDA 7, ARKANSAS 0
DOUBLES
1. (17) Antoine Benneteau/Joey Burkhardt (UF) def. Christopher Nott/Blake Strode, 8-4.
2. Jeff Dadamo/Johnny Hamui (UF) def. Matthew Hogan/Dmitry Lebedev, 8-6.
3. Carlos Cueto/Alex Lacroix (UF) def. Taylor King/Matt Walters, 8-2.
Florida wins doubles point, 3-0.
SINGLES
No. 1 (27) Carlos Cueto (UF) def. (13) Blake Strode, 6-4, 6-3.
No. 2 (28) Alex Lacroix (UF) def. Christopher Nott, 6-1, 6-3.
No. 3 Antoine Benneteau (UF) def. Matthew Hogan, 6-0, 7-5.
No. 4 Joey Burkhardt (UF) def. Dmitry Lebedev, 6-1, 6-0.
No. 5 Johnny Hamui (UF) def. Bradwin Williams, 6-4, 6-0.
No. 6 Jeff Dadamo (UF) def. Tyler Tarnasky, 6-0, 6-3.
Order of finish: Doubles – 3, 1, 2; Singles – 6, 4, 5, 2, 3, 1.