KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In what was the first outdoor match in 2023 for the 12th-ranked Tennessee men’s tennis team, the Vols breezed past The Citadel in 6-1 fashion Friday afternoon at Barksdale Stadium.
Tennessee (9-4) dropped just one set on the day, taking courts three and two in doubles play over The Citadel (3-12) and taking a 10-point third-set tiebreaker at No. 1 singles. The Bulldogs’ lone point on the day came via a retirement.
Tomas Rodriguez and Angel Diaz wasted no time on court three in doubles, quickly defeating The Citadel’s Lucas Robins and Noah Van Dyke, 6-0. The UT duo won 71 percent (24-of-34) of the total points in the match, including winning 12-of-17 return points.
On court two, Tennessee’s Emile Hudd and Boris Kozlov rolled to a 6-1 win over Zvonko Bencedic and Ted Bagwell. Hudd and Kozlov won all but 11 points in the impressive doubles-clinching victory. Pat Harper and Martim Prata went unfinished on court one, leading 4-2.
Harper was the first off court in singles action, pummeling Bradey Minnich on court six, 6-0, 6-0. Harper won 48-of-62 points (77 percent) in the match and had a 75 percent success rate on break point opportunities.
The Citadel got on the board with a retirement from Tennessee’s Prata on court three. Prata won the first set, 6-3. Shortly after, UT’s Rodriguez polished off a 6-1, 6-1 win on court five, his third dual singles win as a Vol. Rodriguez posted a 73 percent first-serve mark in the triumph. Diaz clinched the match on court four Friday, 6-3, 6-3 over The Citadel’s Sebastian Kamieniecki. Diaz won 82 percent of his first-serve points in the match.
Kozlov extended Tennessee’s lead to 5-1 with a 6-1, 6-4 victory on court two over Zvonko Bencedic. The win marked Kozlov’s first career win at the No. 2 singles position and his highest career appearance in a singles lineup. Kozlov held a first serve percentage of 85 percent in the win.
Tennessee’s 65th-ranked Emile Hudd put the finishing touches on the win, overcoming Hayden Shoemake, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0(10-2) at the No. 1 singles slot. Hudd was two-for-three on break point chances in the first set, before running away with a 10-point tiebreak in lieu of a full third set, 10-2. The second match of the originally scheduled doubleheader with The Citadel was canceled.
UP NEXT
Tennessee’s SEC opener comes on the road next week, traveling to the Plains to face No. 36 Auburn on Thursday, March 2 at 4 p.m….
Tennessee (9-4) dropped just one set on the day, taking courts three and two in doubles play over The Citadel (3-12) and taking a 10-point third-set tiebreaker at No. 1 singles. The Bulldogs’ lone point on the day came via a retirement.
Tomas Rodriguez and Angel Diaz wasted no time on court three in doubles, quickly defeating The Citadel’s Lucas Robins and Noah Van Dyke, 6-0. The UT duo won 71 percent (24-of-34) of the total points in the match, including winning 12-of-17 return points.
On court two, Tennessee’s Emile Hudd and Boris Kozlov rolled to a 6-1 win over Zvonko Bencedic and Ted Bagwell. Hudd and Kozlov won all but 11 points in the impressive doubles-clinching victory. Pat Harper and Martim Prata went unfinished on court one, leading 4-2.
Harper was the first off court in singles action, pummeling Bradey Minnich on court six, 6-0, 6-0. Harper won 48-of-62 points (77 percent) in the match and had a 75 percent success rate on break point opportunities.
The Citadel got on the board with a retirement from Tennessee’s Prata on court three. Prata won the first set, 6-3. Shortly after, UT’s Rodriguez polished off a 6-1, 6-1 win on court five, his third dual singles win as a Vol. Rodriguez posted a 73 percent first-serve mark in the triumph. Diaz clinched the match on court four Friday, 6-3, 6-3 over The Citadel’s Sebastian Kamieniecki. Diaz won 82 percent of his first-serve points in the match.
Kozlov extended Tennessee’s lead to 5-1 with a 6-1, 6-4 victory on court two over Zvonko Bencedic. The win marked Kozlov’s first career win at the No. 2 singles position and his highest career appearance in a singles lineup. Kozlov held a first serve percentage of 85 percent in the win.
Tennessee’s 65th-ranked Emile Hudd put the finishing touches on the win, overcoming Hayden Shoemake, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0(10-2) at the No. 1 singles slot. Hudd was two-for-three on break point chances in the first set, before running away with a 10-point tiebreak in lieu of a full third set, 10-2. The second match of the originally scheduled doubleheader with The Citadel was canceled.
UP NEXT
Tennessee’s SEC opener comes on the road next week, traveling to the Plains to face No. 36 Auburn on Thursday, March 2 at 4 p.m….
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