University of Florida Club Tennis Beats UM to Win 2018 Florida Sectionals

The University of Florida on Sunday captured the season-ending USTA Florida ‘Tennis on Campus’ Section Championships, in the final defeating the University of Miami 28-20 in the World TeamTennis scoring format at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

The result was season-long retribution for the UF squad, which was stunned last year in the sectional championships by a red-hot University of Central Florida team, ending UF’s four-year sectionals run.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the way all three of our teams fought this past weekend,” said UF Tennis Club President Shiv Krishnaswamy. “The results speak for themselves — UF-‘A’ won Gold Bracket, UF-‘C’ won Silver Bracket, and UF-‘B’ placed third in Gold Bracket. The consistency and depth of our teams is a testament to how every player prepares and comes to each tournament with the drive and will to do their best. I have been blessed to be surrounded by such amazing players and individuals and hope we can cap of our great season with the coveted national title in April.”

Final Gold Bracket Results:

Women’s Doubles: Paige Nicholson/Aslesha Lissanevitch (UF) d. Erika Nannery/Daniela Gonzalez 6-2
Men’s Doubles: Johann Rapp/Stephen Felman (UF) d. Rochan Ramesh/Sharadh Ramesh 6-5
Women’s Singles: Sarah Perkins (UF) d. Sarah Vargas 3-0, sub. Erika Nannery 3-1, total 6-1
Men’s Singles: Thomas Accajou (UF) d. Nino Coutelle 6-4
Mixed Doubles: Coutelle/Vargas (UM) d. Nicholson/Rapp 6-3

In the Gold Bracket semifinals UF-“A” defeated the UF-“B” team 25-1, while UM-“A” gained the final after a victory over last year’s champion UCF-“A.”

UF-“C” in the Silver Bracket final defeated the UM-“B” team 26-21. UM-“D” won the Bronze Bracket, in the final beating Florida State University’s “B” team 27-21.

Twenty-three teams from nine schools competed at the season-ending 2018 USTA Florida ‘Tennis on Campus’ Section Championships. Other schools were UCF, University of North Florida, University of Tampa, University of South Florida, Florida Atlantic University and Florida Gulf Coast University.

“The weather at Sanlando Park was beautiful and competition level was high from the first point,” said USTA Florida Tennis on Campus Coordinator Desirae McLaughlin. “Good luck to UF and UM, which advance to represent the USTA Florida Section at the USTA Tennis on Campus National Championships.”

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UF won six titles during the 2017-18 season, closing it out with three consecutive wins at the FGCU Dirty Bird Classic where they defeated the visiting University of Wisconsin team in the final, the Delray Beach Open Challenge where they beat UM, and the sectional championships. UM captured two titles during the season, defeating the University of South Florida at the USF-hosted Bull Run, and beating UCF in the final of the UCF-hosted Knightro Cup.

UNF was named the Florida Club of the Year, and UNF Club President Clara Howington was named Florida Leader of the Year.

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The UM squad finished runner-up at the sectional championships for the second time in three years, also falling to UF in the 2016 championship.

UF and UM will next represent the USTA Florida Section at the 2018 USTA Tennis on Campus National Championships on April 12-14 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. UF won the national title in 2003, and finished runner-up in 2010-11 and ’13-14.

2017-18 Schedule and Results:

Sept. 23 — UF Gatorbowl, Gainesville (FINAL: UF-“A” d. UF-“B”)
Oct. 7 — USF Bull Run, Tampa (FINAL: UM-“A” d. USF-“A”)
Oct. 28 — FSU Battle in the Capital, Tallahassee (FINAL: UF-“A” d. UF-“B”)
Nov. 4 — UCF Knightro Cup, Orlando (FINAL: UM-“A” d. UCF-“A”)
Nov. 11 — UM Ibis Open, Coral Gables (FINAL: UF-“A” and UM-“A” co-champs (rain)
Jan. 13 — UNF Swoop the Nest, Jacksonville (FINAL: USF-“A” d. UM-“A”)
Jan. 20 — FGCU Dirty Bird Classic, Ft. Myers (FINAL: UF-“A” d. U. of Wisconsin “A”)
Feb. 17 — Delray Beach Open Challenge, Delray Beach (FINAL: UF-“A” d. UM-“A”)
Feb. 24 — USTA Florida Tennis on Campus Section Championships (FINAL: UF-“A” d. UM-“A”)

USTA Florida ‘Tennis on Campus’
Year-end Championship Winners:
 
2018 — University of Florida d. University of Miami
2017 — University of Central Florida d. University of Florida-“B”
2016 — University of Florida d. University of Miami
2015 — University of Florida d. University of Florida-“B”
2014 — University of Florida d. University of South Florida
2013 — University of Florida d. University of Central Florida
2012 — University of Central Florida d. University of Florida
2011 — University of Florida d. University of Central Florida
2010 — University of Florida d. University of Central Florida
2009 — University of Florida d. University of Central Florida
2008 — University of Florida d. Daytona State College
2007 — University of Florida d. University of Central Florida
2006 — University of Central Florida d. University of Florida

About USTA Tennis On Campus
The USTA’s Tennis On Campus program is designed to provide college students with opportunities for team camaraderie, social networking, and rivaled competition through tennis without the rigors of a NCAA varsity program. Tennis on Campus offers fun co-ed team-based play (using the World TeamTennis scoring format), regional and national championship competition, and helps students maintain active and healthy lifestyles through their college years. Currently the program is offered on more than 500 college campuses. The USTA Tennis on Campus team format features men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles, with a minimum of two men and two women per team.

For more information on the USTA Florida Tennis on Campus series or to start a team at your school go to www.ustaflorida.com/TOC, or contact Desirae McLaughlin at toc@ustaflorida.com.