The Florida men’s tennis team kicks off its dual-match season today against UCF as the No. 9-ranked program in the country. The Gators have won all 16 previous matchups with the Knights, including a 7-0 sweep in 2013 when the teams last met.
Sophomore Johannes Ingildsen and junior Alfredo Perez open the season with top-10 singles rankings and will play together as the No. 1 doubles pair in the nation.
Seven players on UF’s roster are returning from last year, but it’s the freshmen who have impressed coach Bryan Shelton. Duarte Vale, Oliver Crawford and Andy Andrade made up the nation’s second-best recruiting class in 2017.
“I think that all three of our freshmen have certainly done enough to deserve a place in the lineup,” Shelton said.
Andrade went 14-3 in the fall season and won the Ivy-Plus Invitational in his debut as a Gator. Crawford and Vale both competed in the main draw at last week’s City of Sunrise Pro Tennis Classic. In his second match of the qualifying rounds, Vale defeated UCF’s No. 1 singles player, senior Kyle Lovett, in straight sets (6-4, 6-4).
In five seasons under Shelton, Florida has never lost its season-opening match. Today’s contest will be played at the Ring Tennis Complex at 6 p.m.
Follow Benjamin Brandt on Twitter @bhb1227 and contact him at bbrandt@alligator.org.
Junior Alfredo Perez and the Gators men's tennis team begin dual-match play tonight against UCF.
