UK MTEN’s Diallo, Lapadat Earn Two Wins Apiece in Fall Opener

The University of Kentucky men’s tennis team returned to action for the first time since last March, competing in the Southeastern Conference’s fall-opening Gamecock Fall SEC Scramble last weekend at Carolina Tennis Center. 

As part of the league’s new format for the fall 2020 season, the Wildcats participated as individuals in a tournament layout against players from host South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. 

Kentucky’s three-day performance was highlighted by the play of a pair of underclassmen on the singles court, with two wins apiece going to freshman Joshua Lapadat and sophomore Gabriel Diallo. 

“Josh and Gab did well playing in the top three positions, both picking up two wins against teams ranked in the top 20 last spring,” said UK head coach Cedric Kauffmann. “We learned a lot this first weekend and will now start working on doubles.” 

In Lapadat’s collegiate debut, the London, Ontario, native defeated Georgia junior Blake Croyder—the nation’s No. 88 player in last spring’s latest rankings—by a score of 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 on Friday. His second victory also involved a tiebreak opportunity, coming in a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) contest against Tennessee freshman Johannus Monday in the teams’ third singles slot on Sunday. 

Diallo kicked off the event in triumphant fashion, too, beating Georgia sophomore Tyler Zink 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 in a three-set thriller Friday on the second court. Zink was most recently the 80^th-ranked player in the country last spring, as well as last weekend’s eventual doubles champion alongside teammate Trent Bryde. 

Diallo carried Friday’s momentum into the next day, beating Connor Thompson of South Carolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 as the No. 1 singles challenger.  

Freshman Tate Sandman echoed Diallo’s Saturday victory with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) defeat of the Gamecocks’ Carter Morgan on the last court, while senior Millen Hurrion earned Kentucky’s final win with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 conquest of Tennessee’s Martim Prata in Sunday’s No. 2 spot. 

“Millen also finished the tournament on a good note, beating (Prata),” Kauffmann said. “He was a good leader for us throughout the weekend. Tate picked up a good win against South Carolina and is learning to compete in our conference. We have 10 practice days to get better before our second event.” 

Next, Kentucky is set to take part in the second of three planned events this fall, taking on opponents from host Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Auburn at the Commodore Invitational on Oct. 16-18 in Nashville, Tennessee. 

For the latest on the Kentucky men’s tennis team, follow @UKMensTennis on Twitter and Facebook, @kentuckymenstennis on Instagram, and on the web at UKAthletics.com.

Day 1 

Singles 

1. Trent Bryde (Georgia) def. Millen Hurrion (Kentucky) 6-1, 6-4 
2. Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky) def. Tyler Zink (Georgia) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 
3. Philip Henning (Georgia) def. Alexandre LeBlanc (Kentucky) 6-4, 6-4 
4. Joshua Lapadat (Kentucky) def. Blake Croyder (Georgia) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 
5. Baptiste Anselmo (Georgia) def. Ying-Ze Chen (Kentucky) 7-5, 6-4 
6. Erik Grevelius (Georgia) def. Jonathan Sorbo (Kentucky) 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 
7. Britton Johnston (Georgia) def. Heman Nama (Kentucky) 6-1, 6-3 
8. Niklas von Hellens (Georgia) def. Tate Sandman (Kentucky) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 

Doubles 

1. Blake Croyder/Philip Henning (Georgia) def. Millen Hurrion/Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky) 8-4 
2. Trent Bryde/Tyler Zink (Georgia) def. Joshua Lapadat/Alexandre LeBlanc (Kentucky) 8-2 
3. Baptiste Anselmo/Erik Grevelius (Georgia) def. Ying-Ze Chen/Heman Nama (Kentucky) 8-1 
4. Britton Johnston/Niklas von Hellens (Georgia) def. Jonathan Sorbo/Tate Sandman (Kentucky) 8-6 

Day 2 

Singles 

1. Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky) def. Connor Thomson (South Carolina) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 
2. Raphael Lambling (South Carolina) def. Millen Hurrion (Kentucky) 6-2, 6-4 
3. Daniel Rodrigues (South Carolina) def. Joshua Lapadat (Kentucky) 6-0, 6-1 
4. Toby Samuel (South Carolina) def. Alexandre LeBlanc (Kentucky) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 
5. Phillip Jordan (South Carolina) def. Ying-Ze Chen (Kentucky) 6-1, 6-3 
6. Beau Pelletier (South Carolina) def. Jonathan Sorbo (Kentucky) 6-4, 6-2 
7. Thomas Brown (South Carolina) def. Heman Nama (Kentucky) 6-1, 6-1 
8. Tate Sandman (Kentucky) def. Carter Morgan (South Carolina) 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) 

Doubles 

1. Raphael Lambling/Phillip Jordan (South Carolina) def. Millen Hurrion/Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky) 8-6 
2. Daniel Rodrigues/Connor Thomson (South Carolina) def. Joshua Lapadat/Alexandre LeBlanc (Kentucky) 8-3 
3. Toby Samuel/Jake Beasley (South Carolina) def. Ying-Ze Chen/Tate Sandman (Kentucky) 8-3 
4. Beau Pelletier/Thomas Brown (South Carolina) def. Heman Nama/Jonathan Sorbo (Kentucky) 8-6 

Day 3 

Singles 

1. Adam Walton (Tennessee) def. Gabriel Diallo (Kentucky) 6-1, 6-2 
2. Millen Hurrion (Kentucky) def. Martim Prata (Tennessee) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 
3. Joshua Lapadat (Kentucky) def. Johannus Monday (Tennessee) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) 
4. Pat Harper (Tennessee) def. Alexandre LeBlanc (Kentucky) 6-3, 6-3 
5. Luca Wiedenmann (Tennessee) def. Tate Sandman (Kentucky) 6-2, 6-0 
6. Giles Hussey (Tennessee) def. Jonathan Sorbo (Kentucky) 6-0, 6-0 
7. Josh Raab (Tennessee) def. Ying-Ze Chen (Kentucky) 8-2 
8. Joel Gamerov (Tennessee) def. Heman Nama (Kentucky) 8-4 

Doubles 

1. Adam Walton/Pat Harper (Tennessee) def. Alexandre LeBlanc/Ying-Ze Chen (Kentucky) 6-3 
2. Johannus Monday/Giles Hussey (Tennessee) def. Gabriel Diallo/Joshua Lapadat (Kentucky) 6-0 
3. Martim Prata/Josh Raab (Tennessee) def. Millen Hurrion/Tate Sandman (Kentucky) 7-5 
4. Luca Wiedenmann/Joel Gamerov (Tennessee) def. Jonathan Sorbo/Heman Nama (Kentucky) 7-6 (7-3) 

‑ GO CATS –
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