University of Tennessee Athletics
Sunday, April 2
Knoxville, TN
1 PM
University of Tennessee
4
vs
0
Kentucky
#14 Tennessee Tames #4 Wildcats in 4-0 Senior Day Sweep
April 02, 2023 | Men's Tennis
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Controlling the match from start to finish, the 14th-ranked Tennessee men's tennis team raced past No. 4 Kentucky at Barksdale Stadium Sunday, 4-0.
The clinching point came on court two, as graduate student Emile Hudd battled on Senior Day for a straight-set victory over 27th-ranked Alafia Ayeni, 6-3, 7-6(5). It was Hudd's third clinch of the year, improving his record to 8-2 at the No. 2 spot this dual season.
"Emile has been a wonderful addition to our program," Tennessee head coach Chris Woodruff said. "He came here, I'm sure, not knowing what to expect. He seems to be invigorated here. It's really a testament to all of his hard work. He's been a warrior and a stalwart the entire time that he's been here. I thought all the seniors, across the board, stepped up today. They played and cheered. They all contribute, whether it's on match day or behind closed doors. With nine guys on the roster, everybody has a role and I think they've all acclimated to that quite well."
Tennessee (16-6, 6-2 SEC) earned its 20th doubles point of the season Sunday, recording wins on courts three and two. At the No. 3 spot, Angel Diaz and Martim Prata defeated Kentucky's Liam Draxl and Jaden Weekes, 6-4, to improve to 2-0 in doubles as a pairing this spring. The lone break on court three came as the UT duo went up a break at 2-1 and rode that momentum to the victory.
The 60th-ranked doubles pair of Emile Hudd and Shunsuke Mitsui came through with the doubles clinch, breaking in the final game to take it in 7-5 fashion on court two over #38 Joshua Lapadat and JJ Mercer. Hudd and Mitsui didn't surrender a point in the fourth game, breaking for a 3-1 lead. They later held on a deuce point to earn a 5-2 advantage. The Wildcats evened the match at 5-all, but a deuce-point break in the 12th game gave the Vols the doubles point. For Hudd, it brings his career doubles win total to 95.
Tennessee's second-ranked duo of Pat Harper and Johannus Monday led 3-0 in a tiebreaker over the No. 25 duo of Alafia Ayeni and Taha Baadi on court one, upon going unfinished.
The win for Tennessee hands Kentucky (19-4, 7-3 SEC) just its fourth loss of the season. Along with winning the doubles point, Tennessee was impressive at the start of singles play, winning six first sets to take full command of the match.
"It's a big win," Woodruff said. "I've never really been a huge believer in anything being too big. John Madden used to say that there's no such thing as a big game. They're all big. This one was no different. In terms of improving, getting better and growing, it felt good out there for the guys. Like we keep talking about, we're trending in the right direction."
Tennessee's Diaz was the first off in singles, as he defeated Kentucky's Jaden Weekes, 6-1, 6-4, at the No. 5 position. Diaz won 66 percent of the total points in the first set, winning on three of his five break point chances.
Giving UT a 3-0 lead was 122nd-ranked Shunsuke Mitsui on court four. He rolled to a 6-1, 6-2, win over Taha Baadi of Kentucky to improve to 8-1 at No. 4 singles this season.
"I was very thankful for all of the people that showed up today," Woodruff said. "We have a lot of seniors. You could feel the energy. For everyone to come out, we're very appreciative of that."
VOLS TOPPLE TOP-FIVE FOE
Sunday was Tennessee's sixth home match against a top-five opponent since 2009 and the win became UT's first victory over a top-five opponent in Knoxville since defeating No. 3 Georgia, 4-3, on April 12, 2008.
CONTROLLING HOME COURT
Tennessee boasts an impressive 54-5 (.915) record at home since the beginning of the 2020 dual season, including a 13-1 home mark in 2023.
UP NEXT
Tennessee goes on the road to face a pair of top-20 foes in No. 19 Florida Friday and No. 6 South Carolina Sunday.
RESULTS: Tennessee 4, Kentucky 0
Doubles
1. #2 Pat Harper/Johannus Monday (UT) vs. #25 Alafia Ayeni/Taha Baadi (UK) 6-6 (3-0), unfinished
2. #60 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. #38 Joshua Lapadat/JJ Mercer (UK) 7-5
3. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT) def. Liam Draxl/Jaden Weekes (UK) 6-4
Order of Finish: (3,2)
Singles
1. #2 Johannus Monday (UT) vs. #22 Liam Draxl (UK) 6-2, 4-5, unfinished
2. #57 Emile Hudd (UT) def. #27 Alafia Ayeni (UK) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
3. Blaise Bicknell (UT) vs. #44 Joshua Lapadat (UK) 6-4, 4-3, unfinished
4. #122 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Taha Baadi (UK) 6-1, 6-2
5. Angel Diaz (UT) def. Jaden Weekes (UK) 6-1, 6-4
6. Martim Prata (UT) vs. Charlelie Cosnet (UK) 6-4, 3-6, unfinished
Order of Finish: (4,5,2)
The clinching point came on court two, as graduate student Emile Hudd battled on Senior Day for a straight-set victory over 27th-ranked Alafia Ayeni, 6-3, 7-6(5). It was Hudd's third clinch of the year, improving his record to 8-2 at the No. 2 spot this dual season.
"Emile has been a wonderful addition to our program," Tennessee head coach Chris Woodruff said. "He came here, I'm sure, not knowing what to expect. He seems to be invigorated here. It's really a testament to all of his hard work. He's been a warrior and a stalwart the entire time that he's been here. I thought all the seniors, across the board, stepped up today. They played and cheered. They all contribute, whether it's on match day or behind closed doors. With nine guys on the roster, everybody has a role and I think they've all acclimated to that quite well."
Tennessee (16-6, 6-2 SEC) earned its 20th doubles point of the season Sunday, recording wins on courts three and two. At the No. 3 spot, Angel Diaz and Martim Prata defeated Kentucky's Liam Draxl and Jaden Weekes, 6-4, to improve to 2-0 in doubles as a pairing this spring. The lone break on court three came as the UT duo went up a break at 2-1 and rode that momentum to the victory.
The 60th-ranked doubles pair of Emile Hudd and Shunsuke Mitsui came through with the doubles clinch, breaking in the final game to take it in 7-5 fashion on court two over #38 Joshua Lapadat and JJ Mercer. Hudd and Mitsui didn't surrender a point in the fourth game, breaking for a 3-1 lead. They later held on a deuce point to earn a 5-2 advantage. The Wildcats evened the match at 5-all, but a deuce-point break in the 12th game gave the Vols the doubles point. For Hudd, it brings his career doubles win total to 95.
Tennessee's second-ranked duo of Pat Harper and Johannus Monday led 3-0 in a tiebreaker over the No. 25 duo of Alafia Ayeni and Taha Baadi on court one, upon going unfinished.
The win for Tennessee hands Kentucky (19-4, 7-3 SEC) just its fourth loss of the season. Along with winning the doubles point, Tennessee was impressive at the start of singles play, winning six first sets to take full command of the match.
"It's a big win," Woodruff said. "I've never really been a huge believer in anything being too big. John Madden used to say that there's no such thing as a big game. They're all big. This one was no different. In terms of improving, getting better and growing, it felt good out there for the guys. Like we keep talking about, we're trending in the right direction."
Tennessee's Diaz was the first off in singles, as he defeated Kentucky's Jaden Weekes, 6-1, 6-4, at the No. 5 position. Diaz won 66 percent of the total points in the first set, winning on three of his five break point chances.
Giving UT a 3-0 lead was 122nd-ranked Shunsuke Mitsui on court four. He rolled to a 6-1, 6-2, win over Taha Baadi of Kentucky to improve to 8-1 at No. 4 singles this season.
"I was very thankful for all of the people that showed up today," Woodruff said. "We have a lot of seniors. You could feel the energy. For everyone to come out, we're very appreciative of that."
VOLS TOPPLE TOP-FIVE FOE
Sunday was Tennessee's sixth home match against a top-five opponent since 2009 and the win became UT's first victory over a top-five opponent in Knoxville since defeating No. 3 Georgia, 4-3, on April 12, 2008.
CONTROLLING HOME COURT
Tennessee boasts an impressive 54-5 (.915) record at home since the beginning of the 2020 dual season, including a 13-1 home mark in 2023.
UP NEXT
Tennessee goes on the road to face a pair of top-20 foes in No. 19 Florida Friday and No. 6 South Carolina Sunday.
RESULTS: Tennessee 4, Kentucky 0
Doubles
1. #2 Pat Harper/Johannus Monday (UT) vs. #25 Alafia Ayeni/Taha Baadi (UK) 6-6 (3-0), unfinished
2. #60 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. #38 Joshua Lapadat/JJ Mercer (UK) 7-5
3. Angel Diaz/Martim Prata (UT) def. Liam Draxl/Jaden Weekes (UK) 6-4
Order of Finish: (3,2)
Singles
1. #2 Johannus Monday (UT) vs. #22 Liam Draxl (UK) 6-2, 4-5, unfinished
2. #57 Emile Hudd (UT) def. #27 Alafia Ayeni (UK) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
3. Blaise Bicknell (UT) vs. #44 Joshua Lapadat (UK) 6-4, 4-3, unfinished
4. #122 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Taha Baadi (UK) 6-1, 6-2
5. Angel Diaz (UT) def. Jaden Weekes (UK) 6-1, 6-4
6. Martim Prata (UT) vs. Charlelie Cosnet (UK) 6-4, 3-6, unfinished
Order of Finish: (4,5,2)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2
#1 Singles Match
123
Liam Draxl / 0 (22/-) [UK]
250
64UF
#2 Singles Match
12
Alafia Ayeni / 0 (27/-) [UK]
36
67
#3 Singles Match
123
Joshua Lapadat / 0 (44/-) [UK]
430
64UF
#4 Singles Match
12
Taha Baadi / 0 [UK]
12
66
#5 Singles Match
12
Jaden Weekes / 0 [UK]
14
66
#6 Singles Match
123
Charlelie Cosnet / 0 [UK]
460
63UF
Order of Finish:
4,5,2
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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