In just the second week of fall competition, the Gators have dominated in both the Bedford Cup and at the Southern Intercollegiate Championships.
Last weekend, junior Jordan Belga claimed a singles title at the Duke James Bonk Invitational. Expecting to have another good showing this weekend, Belga did. He claimed another singles title at the Bedford Cup on Sunday, beating South Florida’s Peter Bertran 6-1, 6-2.
“Jordan has steadily improved due to his outstanding work ethic and unbelievable determination,” assistant coach Scott Perelman said in a release. “He represents the Gator tennis program in a first-class manner. We are happy for Jordan and very proud of him and his efforts on and off the court."
After losing in the Round of 16, freshman Stephen Madonia made it to the singles consolation finals Sunday where he faced Florida teammates David Sarkissov.
Sarkissov won 7-5, 6-2.
While the two squared off against one another in singles consolation, the freshmen were a duo in the doubles draw. Madonia and Sarkissov lost in the Round of 16 to UNF’s Sahil Deshmukh and Jonathan Deautriell, 8-2.
While three members of the UF tennis team were at the Bedford Cup, seven more travelled to the Georgia to compete in the Southern Intercollegiate Championships.
Elliott Orkin, Alfredo Perez, Chase Perez Blanco, McClain Kessler and Maxx Lipman all played in the Division I Singles draw.
On Saturday, fourth-seeded Orkin defeated UGA’s Nathan Ponwith in the Round of 16 by a score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. But Sunday morning, the senior lost in the quarterfinals against unseeded Emil Reinberg, a teammate of Ponwith’s at UGA. The final score was 6-3, 6-4.
Coming into the tournament ranked 37 in the 2016 ITA Preseason Rankings, sophomore Alfredo Perez reached the Round of 16 Saturday after knocking off Vanderbilt’s Baker Newman 6-2, 6-1. For unknown reasons, he withdrew from singles competition before the match could be played.
Freshman Johannes Ingildsen certainly proved himself in the first tournament of his collegiate career. In the Division II Singles draw, Ingildsen reached the semifinals after defeating Georgia Tech’s Carlos Benito 6-3, 6-3 Sunday morning. The results from the semifinal match have not yet been reported.
The fifth-seeded doubles pair Orkin and Lipman reached the quarterfinals of the Division I Doubles draw, winning over Sam Swank and Yancy Dennis from the University of South Carolina, 6-3. The semifinal match will be played today.
Meanwhile, Perez and Ingildsen played Georgia duo Wayne Montgomery and Robert Loeb in the quarterfinals. After storming ahead 5-0, the Bulldogs came back to win 7-6(2).
In the Division II Doubles draw, underclassman McClain Kessler and Joseph Guillin won their quarterfinal match 6-2 over Fermin Calvo Barcelo and Sam Slade, the pair from Kennesaw State. This semifinal game will also be played today.
Once these members of the team return from Athens, Georgia, the men will prepare for the ITA All American Pre-Qualifying Round, starting Oct. 1.
Contact Cassie Amundson at camundson@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @camundson_.
Alfredo Perez returns a ball during Florida's 6-1 win over Troy on Jan. 17, 2016, at the Ring Tennis Complex.
