TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – In the first of three regular season-ending road matches, the No. 10 Florida Gators men’s tennis team picked up a key Southeastern Conference victory Friday with a 5-2 victory over No. 15 Alabama.
Coach Andy Jackson’s Gators (15-6, 6-3 SEC) swept the doubles matches to pick up the first point of the match.
Sophomores Jeff Dadamo and Johnny Hamui beat Dan Buikema and Billy Mertz at No. 2 doubles by an 8-3 score. Freshman Carlos Cueto and sophomore Alex Lacroix then earned their 17th straight doubles victory by downing Saketh Myneni and Andrew Felsenthal, 8-6, at No. 3 doubles.
That victory clinched the doubles point and the Gators got a sweep when junior Antoine Benneteau and freshman Joey Burkhardt beat the No. 17-ranked doubles team of Mathieu Thibaudeau and Ricky Doverspike, 9-8.
Lacroix, ranked No. 28 nationally, gave Florida a 2-0 lead with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over No. 87 Thibaudeau at No. 2 singles. But the Crimson Tide (17-6, 5-4 SEC) evened the match at 2-2 with victories at Nos. 4 and 5 singles.
Dadamo helped the Gators regain the lead with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Michael Jung at No. 6 singles. It was his fifth straight singles victory. The Gators then clinched the match when Benneteau battled back at No. 3 singles to beat Buikema, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, for his 17th victory of the season.
Cueto, ranked No. 27, beat No. 34 Myneni, 7-6, 0-6, 7-5, at No. 1 singles to finish off the match and win for the 10th time against ranked opponents.
Florida visits Auburn on Sunday at 2 p.m.
MEN’S TENNIS
FLORIDA 5, ALABAMA 2
University of Alabama Tennis Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
DOUBLES
1. (17) Antoine Benneteau/Joey Burkhardt (UF) def. (35) Mathieu Thibaudeau/Ricky Doverspike, 9-8.
2. Jeff Dadamo/Johnny Hamui (UF) def. Dan Buikema/Billy Mertz, 8-3.
3. Carlos Cueto/Alex Lacroix (UF) def. Saketh Myneni/Andrew Felsenthal, 8-6.
Florida wins doubles point, 3-0.
SINGLES
1. (27) Carlos Cueto (UF) def. (34) Saketh Myneni, 7-6 (8), 0-6, 7-5.
2. (28) Alex Lacroix (UF) def. (87) Mathieu Thibaudeau, 7-5, 6-3.
3. Antoine Benneteau (UF) def. Dan Buikema, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
4. Michael Thompson (UA) def. Joey Burkhardt, 6-4, 6-3.
5. Billy Mertz (UA) def. Johnny Hamui, 6-3, 7-5.
6. Jeff Dadamo (UF) def. Michael Jung, 7-6 (12), 6-4.
Order of finish: Doubles – 2, 3, 1; Singles – 2, 4, 5, 6, 3, 1.