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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Kentucky
Rebel Netters Take Down No. 10 Kentucky 7-0
3/21/2003 | Men's Tennis
March 21, 2003
OXFORD, Miss. - In a battle between two of the top teams in the nation, the No. 6 Ole Miss men's tennis team won a tight doubles point and then claimed five of the first sets in singles on their way to a 7-0 victory over 10th-ranked Kentucky Friday afternoon at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center. With the win, the Rebels improved to 12-2 overall and 4-1 in the SEC, while Kentucky dropped to 11-7 overall and 3-2 in conference.
This marks the second win for the Rebels against Kentucky this season, as they also defeated the Wildcats 4-1 at the USTA/ITA National Team Indoor in February. Ole Miss has won seven in a row since its conference-opening loss to No. 2 Florida on Feb. 28.
By taking the doubles point, the Rebels are now 26-1 when they win the first point dating back to last season. Alex Hartman and Claes Lindholm improved to 13-1 at No. 1 doubles and have won 13 of their last 14 matches.
In singles, senior Patrick Chucri gave the Rebels a 2-0 lead with his 6-2, 6-2 win over UK's Alex Hume at No. 6 singles. Enjoying his best season, Chucri is 14-5 overall, 9-2 in dual matches and 3-2 in the SEC.
Claes Lindholm ended his brief two-match losing skid, defeating the Wildcat's Matt Emery 6-4, 6-2 at the No. 4 spot to increase the Rebels advantage to 3-0. He is 10-2 in dual matches this year.
Sophomore Catalin Gard won the first set against UK's Evan Austin and then shut him out 6-0 in the second to clinch the victory for Ole Miss. He improved to 21-8 overall and 10-3 at No. 2 singles. Paul Ciorascu won his 30th match of the season with a straight set win (6-2, 6-4) over Karim Benmansour at No. 3 singles. Ciorascu became the first Rebel to win 30 matches this year and is now 10-2 at No. 3 singles.
With the overall match already decided, and the final two courts having just split, the matches were decided in supertiebreakers. In the feature match of the day, 19th-ranked Hartman defeated 11th-ranked Jesse Witten 6-2, 6-7(4), 1-0 (3). Hartman recorded his 99th career victory and his third this season over Witten. He defeated Witten in the semifinals of the SEC Indoor Championships and in the dual match at the National Team Indoor. Hartman will seek to claim his 100th win against the nation's No. 2 player Bobby Reynolds, on Sunday.
Karim Alayli finished off the scoring, coming back to beat Rahim Esmail 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (12) on court five to remain undefeated in the SEC at 4-0.
The Rebels will host 14th-ranked Vanderbilt Sunday at 1 p.m. The Commodores defeated Mississippi State on Friday to improve to 11-2 overall and 3-2 in the SEC.
#6 Ole Miss 7
#10 Kentucky 0
SINGLES
#1 Alex Hartman (OM) def. Jesse Witten (UK) 6-2, 6-7(5), 1-0 (3)
#2 Catalin Gard (OM) def. Evan Austin (UK) 6-4, 6-0
#3 Paul Ciorascu (OM) def. Karim Benmansour (UK) 6-2, 6-4
#4 Claes Lindholm (OM) def. Matt Emery (UK) 6-2, 6-1
#5 Karim Alayli (OM) def. Rahim Esmail (UK) 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (12)
#6 Patrick Chucri (OM) def. Alex Hume (UK) 6-2, 6-2
DOUBLES
#1 Hartman-Lindholm (OM) def. Emery-Benmansour (UK) 9-7
#2 Witten-Esmail (UK) def. Gard-Alayli (OM) 9-8(5)
#3 Ciorascu-Chucri (OM) def. Austin-Hume (UK) 8-2
