Kentucky’s fall invite came to a close Sunday, following back-to-back singles flights that resulted in five match tiebreakers. The Kentucky Invite, hosted at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center Nov. 2-4, featured Kentucky, Tulane and Virginia Tech in a hidden dual format.
The invitational offered a competitive setting ahead of a fast-approaching regular season, which is only two months away. Singles were debated Friday and Sunday, while doubles were wedged in the middle Saturday.
Each team competed an utter six times in the three-day period – twice in the doubles discipline, with four appearances in the singles discipline – allowing each player ample opportunity to compete with fresh talent. This also meant each team met three times – once in doubles and twice in singles.
Tulane brought a lineup of six, while Kentucky and Virginia Tech advertised lineups of eight. This resulted in six to eight matches within each of the nine flights offered.
All matches were competed indoors on courts one through four.
Kentucky players gathered a combined 30 wins, of 34 possible, in the three-day stretch, reporting only four losses – three in singles and one in doubles.
Teams are not credited with scores earned in fall tournaments, rather the individuals competing earn the credence. Scores that are documented in the fall help decide singles and doubles International Tennis Federation preseason rankings ahead of the regular season.
Players could earn points in any of the three scoring formats that the Kentucky Invite offered. Friday, singles competed in a best of three, tiebreak sets format. Saturday featured an eight-game pro set, with a seven-all tiebreaker. Finally, Sunday’s format highlighted best of three, tiebreak sets, with a match tiebreaker in lieu of a third set.
The Kentucky women’s tennis team will rollover its winning momentum in its final tournament of the season, the Oracle/ITA Fall Championships in Surprise, Arizona, Nov. 7-11.
For more on Kentucky women’s tennis, follow @UKWomensTennis on Twitter and Instagram, Kentucky Women’s Tennis on Facebook, or on the web at UKathletics.com.
– GO CATS –
For more information contact:
Cami Moore