Sports | Other Sports Tennis - The Independent Florida Alligator

Florida tennis freshmen Tanapatt Nirundorn and Togan Tokac share the court at the Gator Fall Invite Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022. (Photo by Sydney Calle)

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Tanapatt Nirundorn, Togan Tokac flourish as best friends, doubles partners

By Kyle Bumpers | Jan. 9, 2023

Tanapatt Nirundorn and Togan Tokac, known as T&T to Gators fans, both come from international backgrounds. The duo were the only two Gators to play every Fall doubles match with each other, and they were the only freshman pair to make the Intercollegiate Tennis Association top 10 by the end of the semester.

UF assistant coach Lauren Embree talks to Bente Spee and Alicia Dudeney during the Gators' match against the Ospreys on Sunday, January 23, 2022 at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, FL / UAA Communications photo by Anna Carrington

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators women’s tennis legend returns home to help program regain former glory

By Zachary Curtin | Nov. 29, 2022

In June 2019, Florida head coach Roland Thornqvist recruited Lauren Embree to come home as an assistant coach.During her playing career at UF, Embree amassed five All-American titles and earned Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors three times. She also played an integral role in the Gators winning back-to-back national titles in 2011 and 2012.

Freshman Jonah Braswell competes at the Gator Fall Invite Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Braswell brothers help each other navigate college, futures in tennis

By Kyle Bumpers | Nov. 21, 2022

Jonah and Micah Braswell come from a sports family. Their dad formerly played and coached tennis at Florida State. Now, Jonah competes at Florida, and Micah is at Texas, but they stay in contact as they progress through college.

Florida men's tennis sophomore Nate Bonetto during the Gator Fall Invite Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida men’s tennis commands its home event

By Kyle Bumpers | Nov. 11, 2022

The Florida men's tennis team hosted its only home event of the Fall season and every player had successful outings. The Gators grabbed 27 wins over the weekend, including some victories over fellow teammates.

UF women's tennis coach Roland Thornqvist announced the signing of Qavia Lopez Wednesday.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida women’s tennis lands top recruit in the class of 2023

By Zachary Curtin | Nov. 10, 2022

Florida women’s tennis announced the addition of Qavia Lopez Wednesday. Lopez is the top-ranked recruit in the class of 2023. The five-star prospect hails from Delray Beach, Florida, and is ranked as the No.1 recruit in the nation by Babola.

Florida freshman Anastasia Sysoeva at the ITA All-American Championships. Photo courtesy of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida continues dominate singles play in the Miami Fall Invite

By Zachary Curtin | Nov. 10, 2022

The Gators women's tennis team took over Miami with strong singles play against Northwestern and Kentucky.

Lukas Greif, who is now a senior, swings at a tennis ball on the fourth day of the 2019 ITA Tournament in Gainesville.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Greif, Braswell lead Gators at ITA Southeast Regionals

By Kyle Bumpers | Oct. 24, 2022

Senior Lukas Greif won five straight games to take home a victory in the consolation bracket final, and freshman Jonah Braswell made it to the semifinals of the main draw. The two also competed alongside each other in the doubles draw and outlasted the Gators’ other pairs.

Florida sophomores Bente Spee (left) and Alicia Dudeney (right) at the ITA All-American Championships. Photo courtesy of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida impresses with a deep run in the doubles bracket

By Zachary Curtin | Oct. 18, 2022

The Gators leave Atlanta with momentum as Dudeney and Briggs finish second in the doubles main draw.

Florida freshman Rachel Gailis at the ITA All-American Championships. Photo courtesy of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators sputter out after the ITA All-American prequalifying round

By Zachary Curtin | Oct. 10, 2022

The Gators battled in North Carolina for the ITA All-American Championship, but they fail to make any significant noise deep into the tournament.

Freshman Jonah Braswell competes at the ITA All-American Championships, which concluded play Oct. 8.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gator freshmen lead the way for men’s tennis in ITA All-American Championships

By Kyle Bumpers | Oct. 10, 2022

Five Gators — Braswell, Nirundorn, Tokac, junior Will Grant and senior Lukas Greif — held spots in the pre-qualifying round, while sophomore Nate Bonetto was placed in qualifying and graduate transfer Axel Nefve automatically advanced to the main draw. The team had three duos — Bonetto/Greif, Grant/Nefve and Nirundorn/Tokac — compete in the doubles qualifying draw.

Florida men's tennis head coach Bryan Shelton. His team, represented by four players, saw its first action this past weekend in Nashville, Tennessee.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Nefve and Grant lead the Gators, wrap up their first tournament of the season

By Kyle Bumpers | Sep. 28, 2022

Florida had four players represent the team at the Commodore Invitational in Nashville — Intercollegiate Tennis Association ranked No. 91 Nate Bonetto, Will Grant, Lukas Greif and No. 34 Axel Nefve — each competing in singles and doubles play.

Florida senior Emma Shelton practices at Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, Florida.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Shelton and De Oliveira earn title victories in their season debuts

By Zachary Curtin | Sep. 26, 2022

Senior Emma Shelton and sophomore Emily De Oliveira showed out for Florida as they claimed titles in the Bedford Cup.

Alicia Dudeney during the Gators' match against the South Alabama Jaguars on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex. UAA Communications photo by Jashari Blige

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Spee and Dudeney open up the season with qualifying victories in the Lubbock 15k

By Zachary Curtin | Sep. 23, 2022

Starting off on the right foot, Spee and Dudeney secured wins in the Lubbock 15k qualifying rounds.

Adam Steinberg will be the eleventh UF men’s tennis head coach in program history.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida’s returning men’s tennis players embrace leadership as season approaches

By Kyle Bumpers | Sep. 20, 2022

The Gators will be without six players from last year’s 26-3 men’s tennis squad, but they still expect to be a top team in the country. Florida will depend on many new faces as it hopes to return to the National Championship success it had in 2020.

Sara Dahlstrom fires an forehead return against LSU on Feb. 26, 2021. Dahlstrom is the lone junior on the 2022 women's tennis roster. She is one of only three upperclassmen.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida women’s tennis roster preview

By Zachary Curtin | Sep. 19, 2022

An in depth look at the inner workings of the Gator’s women’s tennis roster ahead of their first event of the fall season, the Lubbock 15k tournament.

Ben Shelton on Feb. 21, 2021 against Auburn. Shelton announced his decision to forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility and turn pro Tuesday.

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Ben Shelton decides to forgo final years of eligibility to turn pro

By Kyle Bumpers | Aug. 23, 2022

After jumping to No. 171 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Ben Shelton has elected to depart from Florida two years early and turn pro.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida men’s tennis hires Mat Cloer as new associate head coach

By Brenda Bogle | May 29, 2022

Former United States Tennis Association player development national coach Mat Cloer is headed to Gainesville after being named the Florida Gators men’s tennis associate head coach Sunday.

Florida's Ben Shelton celebrates on Feb. 21, 2021 against Auburn. The sophomore clinched a national championship Saturday.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Sophomore sensation Ben Shelton wins NCAA Singles Championship

By Brenda Bogle | May 28, 2022

Shelton displayed great toughness as he was named the 2022 NCAA singles national champion Saturday.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida men’s tennis’ hopes of back-to-back championships come to a close

By Brenda Bogle | May 20, 2022

The No.7-seeded Cavaliers (26-5, 12-0) defeated Florida (26-3, 12-0) and punched their ticket to the Final Four with a 4-1 victory atin the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex in Champaign, Illinois.

Freshman Nate Bonetto (left) and senior Duarte Vale celebrate a score. The Florida men’s tennis team rolled the Crimson Tide Friday night, 5-2

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Gators continue to push past competition, move on to Elite Eight

By Brenda Bogle | May 14, 2022

The No. 2-seeded Gators (26-2, 12-0) defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels (18-9, 9-3) at The Ring Friday to capture an Elite Eight berth, 4-0. Florida entered the match off dominating performances in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, eliminating Miami and New Orleans last weekend.