LEXINGTON, Ky. - The sixth-ranked University of Kentucky men's tennis team captured a 4-0 shutout of No. 39 Louisiana State on Sunday night, capping off a 2-0 Southeastern Conference opening weekend and pick up their fourth consecutive win to improve to 14-2 on the year. 

 

"We played a lot better today. Our intensity was better and we did a good job of maintaining it throughout the match. Having said that, we know that we will need even more for this upcoming road trip if we are going to get the results we want."

 

For the 13th time in 16 matches this season, Kentucky started the match off right, winning the all-important doubles point to go up 1-0 early on. The Wildcats did so by picking up wins on courts one and three, both by a tally of 8-5.

 

On court one, No. 21 Tom Jomby and Kevin Lai defeated Roger Anderson and Tam Trinh of Louisiana State. Jomby and Lai picked up the only break of serve they would need 3-2 in the match and rode that all the way to the end. Jomby and Lai served first, and held serve at 4-2, 5-3, 6-4 and Jomby served the match out at 7-5 to give the 21st-ranked team in the country their eighth win of the season.

 

Grant Roberts and Anthony Rossi continued their hot doubles play this season as the duo earned an 8-5 decision over Oliver Borsos and Boris Arias of LSU. Roberts and Rossi broke the Tigers' serve in the opening game of the match to move ahead 1-0 early on. Kentucky would increase their lead to 4-1 after holding in back-to-back games as the teams would exchange service holds the rest of the way. Roberts served out the final game at love as UK won the match 8-5 to clinch the point.

 

In singles play, Jomby moved to 10-1 on the season as he collected a straight-sets 6-2, 6-4 win over Tam Trinh in a productive 75 minutes of work. Jomby launched 12 aces in his service games en route to the win. Trinh held serve to begin the match before Jomby held, broke and then rattled off the next five-straight games of the match to take a 5-1 lead. After a brief hold from Trauch, Jomby served out the set at love to take the opening frame in only 35 minutes. In the second set, Jomby picked up the break at 3-3 to move into to the drivers seat at 5-3 before serving out the match at 6-4.

 

Senior Anthony Rossi won on court one 6-3, 6-1 in an hour and six minutes as he knocked off Chris Simpson of LSU. The win was Rossi's ninth-straight straight-set match, and the senior captain has now won 18 of the last 19 sets he has played on the season. The Frenchman upped his record to 14-1 on the year and is now just four wins shy of becoming the 15th player in UK men's tennis history of eclipsing the 100-win mark as he earned No. 96 on Sunday. In the opening set, Rossi broke in the first game of the set at 1-0 to give him the 2-0 lead after a hold. Simpson broke back for 2-1 before Rossi fought back in an extended game to give him the 3-1 lead. Rossi broke at 5-3 to close out the opening set at 6-3. In the second set, Rossi held and broke to begin the frame before giving the break back at 2-1. Rossi then held and broke for 3-1 and ran away with the set to earn the 6-1 win.

 

The clinching match was on court four as sophomore Charles Minc won in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. Both sets were a carbon copy of each other as Minc picked up the break of serve at 4-3 in each set and held the rest of the way to close out the match. It was a terrific bounce-back win for Minc after he dropped just his second match all season on Friday. Minc ups his record to 7-2 on the year.

 

Courts three, five and six were halted after Kentucky clinched the match at 4-0. Both Grant Roberts and Kevin Lai were ahead comfortably in their matches at the time of the stoppage.

 

The match ended the opening weekend of play for Kentucky in SEC play as the Wildcats went 2-0.

 

Kentucky will face another ranked opponent on Friday as the Wildcats will return to non-conference play in Waco, Texas on Friday taking the courts against No. 26 Baylor. The showdown on the plains will have a first serve of 3:30 p.m. ET. After a brief stay in Waco, the Wildcats will make their return to SEC action on Sunday at Texas A&M.

 

No. 6 Kentucky 4, No. 39 LSU 0

Hilary J. Boone Varsity Tennis Center - Lexington, Ky.

Saturday, March 3, 2013

Doubles: (Order of finish: 1, 3*)

 

1- No. 21 Tom Jomby/Kevin Lai (UK) def. Roger Anderson/Tam Trinh (LSU) 8-5

2- Ryuji Hirooka/Alejandro Gomez (UK) vs. Chris Simpson/Stefan Szacinski (LSU) 6-6 (abd.)

3- Grant Roberts/Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Oliver Borsos/Boria Arias (LSU) 8-5

 

Singles: (Order of Finish: 2, 1, 4*)

1- No. 21 Anthony Rossi (UK) def. Chris Sampson (LSU 6-3, 6-1

2- No. 18 Tom Jomby (UK) def. Tam Trinh (LSU) 6-2, 6-4

3- Oliver Borsos (LSU) led Alejandro Gomez (UK) 7-6 (2), 5-3

4- Charles Minc (UK) def. Stefan Szacinski (LSU) 6-4, 6-4

5- Grant Roberts (UK) led Mark Bowtell (LSU) 6-4

6- Kevin Lai (UK) led Harrison Kennedy (LSU) 5-3

 

For continuing coverage of UK men's tennis, log on to UKathletics.com.