SEC Tennis

mikej

Hall of Fame
wow, with Vale and Goodger posting straight set wins (good call 10SFan!), and Shelton up 30-0 on a 6-5 return game in the second, this could be at the finish line

could be
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
another broken ball on Ct 1 - time to switch manufacturers

and Walton holds from 0-30 to keep the Vols alive for now
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
Shelton and Riffice drop simultaneous TBs, and now it's 3-1 Gators

looks like it'll be up to Andrade or Siimar to clinch - still looks mighty good / even routine - but they failed to get off the court as quick as they could have, UK will be smiling
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
Andrade clinches it, adding another to his UF record for career singles wins

4-6,6-2,6-1 is a singles scoreline that just screams a difference in legs / fitness - he's an animal, just gets better as the match wears on every. single. time.
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
"had to use the heat as an advantage...I just knew I was physically stronger" from Andrade's post-match interview

put that quote up on the side of the UF tennis building that faces the courts - seriously, big 3D block letters that opponents have to see while they warm up - UF tennis under Shelton in a nutshell
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
UF came to play today, despite my doubts (let's just call it reverse psychology) re: the Tennessee --> UK turnaround time

won the dubs point, and have taken impressive first sets on 1-3

if UK wants to stay alive, they better have a good next half hour (tail end of sets on 4-6, and trying to get some early breaks in 2nd on 1-3)
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
the fitness / mental toughness from UF that has been on display the past couple days on SEC Network...

well, I hope some blue chip players and parents and junior coaches are watching

this coaching staff knows what they're doing
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
Goodger and Siimar make it 5 first sets for the Gators

Andrade heading to a TB, with UK desperately in need of something going their way
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
3-0 Gators thanks to Goodger and Riffice

Shelton will try to serve out the championship for the second time - Draxl just tried to make a terrible, terrible call in the last game
 
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mikej

Hall of Fame
4-0 Gators, Shelton comes through as closer again, great showing

have a lot of respect for the way UK / Draxl compete, but that call Draxl tried to make at 5-5 15-30 on a DTL Shelton forehand that landed inside the line was garbage - glad the chair umpire was on it

 
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jviss

New User
4-0 Gators, Shelton comes through as closer again, great showing

have a lot of respect for the way UK / Draxl compete, but that call Draxl tried to make at 5-5 15-30 on a DTL Shelton forehand that landed inside the line was garbage - glad the chair umpire was on it

What a big point to try to cheat on too. What was that Kentucky coach even arguing about after? He was standing right there when Draxl made that call. Show some integrity please. That call might be the worst I've seen in a while. He was clearly too amped up. Screaming "how do you like me now" then cheating and then losing seemed about right.
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
What a big point to try to cheat on too. What was that Kentucky coach even arguing about after? He was standing right there when Draxl made that call. Show some integrity please. That call might be the worst I've seen in a while. He was clearly too amped up. Screaming "how do you like me now" then cheating and then losing seemed about right.

yeah Kaufmann embarrassed himself a bit arguing with Shelton and the chair umpire about the overrule

your player just made one of the five worst line calls in D1 tennis this year - he got caught - sit down and shut up

Pat Mc called it a bad call immediately on SEC Network
 
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JW10S

Hall of Fame
4-0 Gators, Shelton comes through as closer again, great showing

have a lot of respect for the way UK / Draxl compete, but that call Draxl tried to make at 5-5 15-30 on a DTL Shelton forehand that landed inside the line was garbage - glad the chair umpire was on it

I watched the match on DVR and was absolutely shocked by that call. And from what I am told from someone more familiar with the program and I, it is out of character for Draxl, but I don't really know. It shows the desperation he felt and unfortunately the college tennis mindset of just call it out, you might get away with it.
 
the fitness / mental toughness from UF that has been on display the past couple days on SEC Network...

well, I hope some blue chip players and parents and junior coaches are watching

this coaching staff knows what they're doing
will be interesting to see who Bryan brings in as his next assistant. Stump has done a great job and will be missed.
 

jcgatennismom

Hall of Fame
Georgia upset by FSU 4-3. Tristan McCormick didnt play so 4-7 moved up a line. Bryde at #3 was up 4-2 in 3rd but lost 5-7 in the deciding line. FSU won dubs, lines 3, 5,6. Too bad Blake and Bryde weren't flipped for this match; Blake won at 4 0,1
 
Even without Bicknell, Tennessee's got a good core lineup coming back with Monday moving up to No. 1 full time with Hudd and Mitsui also in the top half.

Hats off to Adam Walton. He's had a great career (with at least one more match to go!) and improved a lot during his time at UT.
 
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mikej

Hall of Fame
Hats off to Adam Walton. He's had a great career (with at least one more match to go!) and improved a lot during his time at UT.

always been a Walton fan, even if I hope Ben sends him packing tomorrow

every time he steps on court he battles and represents himself and Tennessee very well

like JP Smith years ago
 

armchair

New User
Walton is amazing, frankly. Who in men's college tennis has squeezed more wins out of his talent--at the highest level, the guy's been playing No. 1 for 3 years, I believe)--than this guy. Mentally tough. When it got to a deciding tiebreak today, I felt good about his chances even against a big server. He'll need all of his energy, nerve and talent to beat Shelton, that's for sure. The Florida No. 1 and tourney favorite has been steamrolling along. Odds are we could be looking at an all-Gator final--but let's hope the oddsmakers are wrong!

Vols have 5 new players coming in next year, including four transfers. UT picked up Kent Hunter and Boris Kozlov from LSU, Gabriele Brancatelli from Purdue, and Tomas Rodriguez from Tennessee-Chattanooga. Hunter is a good player (2nd team All SEC ) and should slot in to the No. 2/3 slot for the Vols, depending on Bicknell. Brancatelli played 2 singles for the Boilermakers as a freshman and acquitted himself well. He seems a promising young player. Kozlov will compete for the 5/6 slot. Not sure about Rodriguez, an Argentine who had twice as many wins as losses in both singles and doubles in his three years at Nooga. I assume he'll get a shot at doubles. Vols have to replace the Walton/Harper team in doubles, and that won't be easy. The lone freshman coming in is Billy Blaydes from England. He was the UK's U16 national champ in singles and was in the semis in the UK U18 competition. Supposed to be a good doubles player. Should be some good competition for the 5/6 spots next year after bottom-of-the-order weakness this year.

Monday's form fell off a bit this year--perhaps because of his foot injury. He simply wasn't as good as he was last year--and he was absolutely awful yesterday. Seemed completely lacking in confidence. But he's very talented and so should be a strong No. 1 for the Vols. Hudd was good at the 3 for UT but I'd like to think he could get a touch better. Mitsui was outstanding as a freshman all year at the 4. Needs to add some punch to his serve, for sure.
 

Sureshot

Professional
Walton is amazing, frankly. Who in men's college tennis has squeezed more wins out of his talent--at the highest level, the guy's been playing No. 1 for 3 years, I believe)--than this guy. Mentally tough. When it got to a deciding tiebreak today, I felt good about his chances even against a big server. He'll need all of his energy, nerve and talent to beat Shelton, that's for sure. The Florida No. 1 and tourney favorite has been steamrolling along. Odds are we could be looking at an all-Gator final--but let's hope the oddsmakers are wrong!

Vols have 5 new players coming in next year, including four transfers. UT picked up Kent Hunter and Boris Kozlov from LSU, Gabriele Brancatelli from Purdue, and Tomas Rodriguez from Tennessee-Chattanooga. Hunter is a good player (2nd team All SEC ) and should slot in to the No. 2/3 slot for the Vols, depending on Bicknell. Brancatelli played 2 singles for the Boilermakers as a freshman and acquitted himself well. He seems a promising young player. Kozlov will compete for the 5/6 slot. Not sure about Rodriguez, an Argentine who had twice as many wins as losses in both singles and doubles in his three years at Nooga. I assume he'll get a shot at doubles. Vols have to replace the Walton/Harper team in doubles, and that won't be easy. The lone freshman coming in is Billy Blaydes from England. He was the UK's U16 national champ in singles and was in the semis in the UK U18 competition. Supposed to be a good doubles player. Should be some good competition for the 5/6 spots next year after bottom-of-the-order weakness this year.

Monday's form fell off a bit this year--perhaps because of his foot injury. He simply wasn't as good as he was last year--and he was absolutely awful yesterday. Seemed completely lacking in confidence. But he's very talented and so should be a strong No. 1 for the Vols. Hudd was good at the 3 for UT but I'd like to think he could get a touch better. Mitsui was outstanding as a freshman all year at the 4. Needs to add some punch to his serve, for sure.
While this is good for the Vols not sure it’s that way for all the new guys. I wonder if some will look elsewhere now that it appears pretty crowded for next season. I mean someone like Brancatelli could continue to start on some other solid programs that are a step up from Purdue.
 
Monday was the surest thing in Tennessee's lineup before he got hurt. He was off the court with straight set wins ... and quickly. I'm not sure he would have gone 11-1 again in SEC play if he stayed healthy, but he might have come close.
 
While this is good for the Vols not sure it’s that way for all the new guys. I wonder if some will look elsewhere now that it appears pretty crowded for next season. I mean someone like Brancatelli could continue to start on some other solid programs that are a step up from Purdue.
Brancatelli is 12.40 UTR. Will be surprised if he is a factor.
 

armchair

New User
Agree. Knowing what he does now regarding where he’ll be on the Vols depth chart, he could look elsewhere so that he can continue to start

You may well be right, but how telling is a UTR for a freshman playing in the 2 spot in the Big10? I certainly don't know. Isn't the question for any guy like him, how much upside does he have? Both he and the coaches will have to assess that...
 

Sureshot

Professional
Never know what kinda player he could be just by UTR.
True. It could be a reflection of whom he’s played, that is the level of his opponents. Having said that there is some, even if loose, correlation to UTR. According to the UTR website, the Vols have the #4 lineup in all of college tennis with an average UTR of 13.5 for its starting six. It’s tough to see Brancatelli cracking that lineup (and playing regularly) without weakening it
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
UF hires Mat Cloer to fill the void left by Tanner Stump’s departure


seems like a solid hire, further strengthening central Florida ties to USTA player development, and someone who knows a thing or two about transitioning collegiate players to the pros

I used to play some of the same tournaments as his brother Chris Cloer who was a good dude and might have kicked my ass once
 
UF hires Mat Cloer to fill the void left by Tanner Stump’s departure


seems like a solid hire, further strengthening central Florida ties to USTA player development, and someone who knows a thing or two about transitioning collegiate players to the pros

I used to play some of the same tournaments as his brother Chris Cloer who was a good dude and might have kicked my ass once
that does look like a really good hire.
 

Sureshot

Professional
UF hires Mat Cloer to fill the void left by Tanner Stump’s departure


seems like a solid hire, further strengthening central Florida ties to USTA player development, and someone who knows a thing or two about transitioning collegiate players to the pros

I used to play some of the same tournaments as his brother Chris Cloer who was a good dude and might have kicked my ass once
Excellent!
 
You may well be right, but how telling is a UTR for a freshman playing in the 2 spot in the Big10? I certainly don't know. Isn't the question for any guy like him, how much upside does he have? Both he and the coaches will have to assess that...
Given what Tennessee did to Louis Cloud (a few weeks after arriving at school as a Freshman, coach told him no point him staying at TN; he'd never play lineup & wouldn't get any attention), if I were Brancatelli, I'd be looking elsewhere.
 

andfor

Legend
Given what Tennessee did to Louis Cloud (a few weeks after arriving at school as a Freshman, coach told him no point him staying at TN; he'd never play lineup & wouldn't get any attention), if I were Brancatelli, I'd be looking elsewhere.
Something tells me more news coming on this topic.
 

ClarkC

Hall of Fame
Given what Tennessee did to Louis Cloud (a few weeks after arriving at school as a Freshman, coach told him no point him staying at TN; he'd never play lineup & wouldn't get any attention), if I were Brancatelli, I'd be looking elsewhere.
After they saw him at practice, they gave him an honest assessment. He sounded grateful, because he wanted to play in the lineup.
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
Shelton up 4-2 on Gomez

whether or not he wins this match, I think this challenger / last year's run to nearly qualify for the USO and lose to an eventual quarterfinalist / etc have shown he's very comfortable competing with the guys 100-200 in the world

whenever he's interested in making that jump and restructuring his whole life around traveling the world and playing pro tennis, he'll be fun to follow
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
Gomez serving down 4-6,3-5

so far has fought off three four ad-out match points, all with pretty aggressive play

Shelton now with a chance to serve it out
 

mikej

Hall of Fame
wow, holds serve at love with two aces, I believe four straight first serves - same as against Christian Harrison, just steps up to the line while his opponent is still on the changeover, doesn't show nerves, doesn't miss first serves when it counts

Ben, you do you man, no one will be sad to see you back in UF colors next year, but you just made beating the #151 guy in the world look a bit routine / boring

might be time to ride the wave (long way to go, but if he were to win this challenger then collect 10 points from rd of 128 at USO in a few months, even if he did nothing else in between he'd be about #305 in the world)

anyone know the highest atp ranking held by an active college player? isner? somdev? steve j? maybe tomorrow i'll dig into their rankings timeline and compare to their college careers
 
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