In a hard-fought battle spanning two days and lasting over 3.5 hours, the Kentucky men’s tennis team (27-5) saw their remarkable 2023 campaign come to an end on Saturday. Falling 4-2 to Virginia (28-4) in the NCAA quarterfinals, the Wildcats showcased their resilience and determination throughout the match.
This year marked a historic milestone for the program as it was the sixth time Kentucky reached the national quarterfinals. Furthermore, it was the first time the Wildcats achieved back-to-back appearances among the final eight teams, following their impressive run to the national championship match last year.
Head coach Cedric Kauffmann expressed his pride in the team’s performance, stating, “I’m very proud of the year we had and proud of the way we competed today. We had some chances in the last 10 minutes. We came up a little bit short, but it was not for a lack of effort or a lack of courage. The Cats are not going anywhere. We will get back to work and hopefully get back to this position.”
The match began on Thursday evening with Kentucky gaining an early advantage by securing a hard-fought doubles point that extended over an hour. Liam Draxl and Jaden Weekes secured a 6-3 victory at third doubles, while the other two matches proved more challenging. Despite a valiant effort, UK’s second pair, Joshua Lapadat and JJ Mercer, couldn’t overcome their opponents and were defeated 5-7. The doubles point ultimately came down to court one, where Alafia Ayeni and Taha Baadi emerged victorious in a thrilling tiebreaker, winning 11-9 and providing the Wildcats with a crucial lead.
However, inclement weather interrupted the singles action, forcing the match to be suspended and resumed on Friday morning. Virginia came out strong, claiming four of the six opening sets. Alexander Kiefer’s victory on court five leveled the overall score, followed by straight-set wins from Chris Rodesch (court one) and Ryan Goetz (court four), putting UVA ahead 3-1.
Undeterred, the Wildcats continued to fight, closing the gap as Ayeni triumphed over Inaki Montes in a three-set battle, winning 7-6 (2), 1-6, 6-3. Ayeni’s victory marked his 11th win against a nationally-ranked opponent this season, leading the team in this impressive feat. The remaining two matches extended to three sets, with Lapadat making a strong comeback against Jeffrey von der Schulenburg after dropping the first set. Meanwhile, Charlelie Cosnet and Mans Dahlberg were engaged in a closely contested match. Cosnet gained an early advantage in the deciding third set but was unable to maintain it. The set eventually reached a tiebreaker, where Dahlberg secured the match-clinching point for Virginia. Lapadat’s match remained unfinished, with the Kentucky junior leading 6-5 in the final set at the time play was abandoned.
Although the team’s journey in the season has concluded, there are still individual accolades to pursue. Liam Draxl and Alafia Ayeni are scheduled to compete in the NCAA singles tournament beginning on Monday, May 22. Additionally, Lapadat is currently the first-alternate and hopes to secure a spot in the draw when the participants are announced in the upcoming days.
