Polished experience and raw talent were the perfect recipe for success on Sunday afternoon.
The Florida men’s tennis team competed in the Dick Vitale Clay Court Classic in Bradenton during the weekend, and the duo of senior Billy Federhofer and redshirt freshman Gordon Watson won their first doubles title as partners. The duo defeated Minnesota’s Mathieu Froment and Juan Pablo Froment 8-2 in the finals.
“This tournament was great for Gordon and me because we found a style that really fit both of our games and we played very well,” Federhofer said. “Changing formations and always being unpredictable was a huge key for us in the matches, and each match we saw patterns of what worked well and where we are best on the court, so we would try to set the points up based on that.”
The Florida tandem swiftly moved through each of its opponents on the weekend, losing no more than three games in a single match.
Federhofer and Watson started off with a first-round bye before turning in their best performance of the fall. They beat Miami’s Jack Murphy and Henrique Tsukamoto 8-3 before defeating Princeton’s Zack McCourt and Dan Richardson 8-3 in the semifinals.
“It really boosted our confidence because we have had some good wins this fall,” Federhofer said. “This tournament, we stayed consistent throughout, so we know we’re not just a streaky team and we’re capable of competing at a high level each time we play.”
With the win, the Gators claimed their fourth title this season and the team's second doubles title. Juniors Mike Alford and Florent Diep won the doubles tournament at the Southern Intercollegiate Championships on September 10.
Federhofer likes the idea that any Florida player can win.
“It is huge for our team,” said Federhofer. “A lot of times people might wonder if teams could do it or not and if they’re the right fit. So whenever you win a title, something is usually working pretty well. We have an unselfish team, but having different teams win titles instills confidence in each other because regardless of who plays where, we all know we can do it, and the titles this fall are proof of that.”
Florida redshirt freshman Gordon Watson hits a ball during the Bedford Cup on Sept. 15, 2012, at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.
