After a nearly five-hour rain delay, the No. 7 Florida men’s team was defeated by No. 2 Mississippi, 4-2, at the Ring Tennis Complex.
The match, which was to start at 3 p.m., finally got going around 8 and the clock struck midnight when the Rebels (15-2, 5-0 SEC) finally clinched the victory.
Florida sophomore Alex Lacroix and freshman Carlos Cueto beat Otto Sauer and Kalle Norberg, 8-6, before Gator redshirt junior Antoine Benneteau and freshman Joey Burkhardt were narrowly defeated, 9-7, by the second-best doubles pair in the nation, Jonas Berg and Bram ten Berge.
The doubles point was earned by Florida when sophomores Jeff Dadamo and Johnny Hamui downed Devin Britton and Tucker Vorster, 9-8 (9-7).
It took less than an hour for Dadamo to dominate Chris Thiemann in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0. With the victory, Dadamo earned his 20th win of the year in singles play.
After the Gators secured the 2-0 lead, they suffered three single losses in a row. Benneteau fell to ten Berge, 6-1, 6-4. In his first appearance in a dual match, sophomore Tyler Hochwalt was beaten by Kalle Norborg, 6-2, 6-2. Britton then beat Lacroix, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 to give the Rebels a 3-2 lead. Berg then beat Cueto, 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-2, to clinch the match.
With the match decided, the match between Burkhardt and Sauer was called with each having won a set.
The Gators (11-6, 2-3 SEC) visit Mississippi State Sunday at 1 p.m.
MISSISSIPPI 4, FLORIDA 2
Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex, Gainesville
DOUBLES
1. Jonas Berg/Bram ten Berge (UM) def. Antoine Benneteau/Joey Burkhardt, 9-7.
2. Jeff Dadamo/Johnny Hamui (UF) def. Devin Britton/Tucker Vorster, 9-8 (9-7).
3. Carlos Cueto/Alex Lacroix (UF) def. Otto Sauer/Kalle Norberg, 8-6.
SINGLES
1. Jonas Berg (UM) def. Carlos Cueto, 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-2.
2. Devin Britton (UM) def. Alex Lacroix, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
3. Kalle Norberg (UM) def. Tyler Hochwalt, 6-2, 6-2.
4. Bram ten Berge (UM) def. Antoine Benneteau, 6-1, 6-4.
5. Joey Burkhardt (UF) vs. Otto Sauer (UM), did not finish.
6. Jeff Dadamo (UF) def. Chris Thiemann, 6-0, 6-0.
Order of finish: Doubles – 3, 1, 2. Singles – 6, 4, 3, 2, 1, 5.