How fitting for Sunday's dual match to have been decided in a third set on Court 1 between two of the best players in the nation.
The No. 21 UF women's tennis team defeated No. 30 Auburn 4-3 when No. 8 Marrit Boonstra broke the serve of No. 6 Fani Chifchieva to win 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. It was the Gators' 75th consecutive regular-season win at Linder Stadium.
"I don't know how she did it," UF coach Roland Thornqvist said of Boonstra, who went down during the final set with cramping in her left leg.
UF (12-7, 6-4 Southeastern Conference) entered singles with a 1-0 lead after Boonstra and Jo Mather clinched the doubles point. Auburn tied it up with the first singles win, but Mather responded with a 6-1, 6-2 victory - her eighth in a row - over Whitney Chappell.
After the match, the modest Mather gave all the credit to her doubles partner.
"She's incredible. She's my hero," the freshman said. "She fought so hard, and it was beautiful. In my match, my goal was to play consistent, and I did that."
The Tigers claimed the next two points, putting the Gators' home streak in considerable danger. That's when another freshman, Jessica Alexander, finished off Myrthe Molenveld 6-3, 7-5 to put the match in Boonstra's hands.
Boonstra, a team leader by example and crowd favorite because of her on-court heroics, always gives credit to her fans after winning.
"They helped me out so much," the junior said of the crowd. "They were amazing. I remember the feeling I had after losing at LSU, and I just didn't want to leave the court today without winning."
Boonstra will have most of the week to heal before UF hosts South Carolina on Saturday in the final match of the regular season.
MEN FALL TO TIGERS: The No. 10 UF men's tennis team's dual match against No. 27 Auburn also came down to a final singles set. This Gators team, however, lost 4-3.
The Tigers won doubles matches on courts 1 and 2 after Carlos Cueto and Alex Lacroix shut out Alex Petropoulos and Michel Monteiro 8-0 on Court 3. Back spasms kept Cueto from returning for singles play, but coach Andy Jackson said he did not think Cueto's back will keep him from playing Saturday against South Carolina.
UF (12-8, 5-5 SEC) took the first three singles matches with wins by Jeff Dadamo, Joey Burkhardt and Johnny Hamui, putting the team up 3-1. Auburn fired back with Alexey Tsyrenov, defeating No. 28 Lacroix 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 on the highest court, and Tim Puetz, beating Antoine Benneteau 7-6, 3-6 on Court 2.
The final point rested on Eric Corace, who faced Milan Krnketin on Court 6. The sophomore lost in a third-set tiebreaker 3-6, 6-2, 6-7 (3-7).
