No.15 Florida Tennis Tops No.12 FSU

The No. 15 Gators Men’s tennis team came from behind to defeat No. 12 FSU 4-2 at College MatchDay at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, Florida.

CHOMP CHOMP

4th straight at College MatchDay ‼️#GoGators 🐊🎾 pic.twitter.com/IdulD5lS3O

— Gators Men's Tennis (@GatorsMTN) February 3, 2023

It was the sixth time in program history that Florida competed in College Matchday and are 3-2 against the Seminoles in the competition. This year’s event was streamed on ESPN+.

Gators Grab Doubles Point

The duo of Will Grant and Axel Nefve got things going for the Gators on court one. The pair broke serve to take an early 3-1 lead and held on for a 6-3 victory.

Doubles update:

First dub goes the Gators way!

✅ Grant/Nefve, 6-3
2️⃣ #10 Nirundorn/Tokac ⬆️ 5-3
3️⃣ #43 Braswell/Greif ⬇️ 2-5#GoGators 🐊🎾 pic.twitter.com/drlMN6cilI

— Gators Men's Tennis (@GatorsMTN) February 2, 2023

Shortly after, No. 10 Tanapatt Nirundorn and Togan Tokac clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 victory over Joshua Dous-Karpenschif and Maks Silagy.

It’s the Gators doubles point!

T serves it out on court two 😏

✅ #10 Nirundorn/Tokac, 6-3
3️⃣ #43 Braswell/Greif ⬇️ 3-5 (UNF)

UF 1, FSU 0#GoGators 🐊🎾 pic.twitter.com/aTHEHQjpdf

— Gators Men's Tennis (@GatorsMTN) February 2, 2023

Clutch Singles Play

Up 1-0, the Gators would just need three singles matches to clinch the match. Florida State’s No. 12 Antoine Cornut-Chauvinc dispatched Axel Nefve 6-1, 6-4 to tie the dual match at 1-1. Lukas Grief then fell to Joshua Dous-Karpenschif 7-5, 6-2 to give the Seminoles a 2-1 lead with four matches still in play.

Togan Tokac won three straight games to take the first set 6-3. The freshman then clinched the match in a second set tiebreak, winning 6-3, 7-6 (2) overall to tie FSU up at 2-2.

Singles update:

TOGAN TIES IT UP!!

2️⃣ Will Grant ⬇️ 6-7 (6), 5-5
3️⃣ #51 Nate Bonetto ⬆️ 6-4, 6-6 (7-6)
4️⃣ #93 Jonah Braswell ⬆️ 7-6 (8), 3-3
✅ Togan Tokac, 6-3, 7-6(2)

UF 2, FSU 2#GoGators 🐊🎾 pic.twitter.com/CeCmUdQJFC

— Gators Men's Tennis (@GatorsMTN) February 3, 2023

Next, No. 51 Nate Bonetto grabbed his highest-ranked win of his career over No. 24 Youcef Rihane 6-4, 7-6 (8). Bonetto reeled off three consecutive points to clinch the match in the tiebreak and put Florida up 3-2.

Singles update:

NATE THE GREAT!! BACK ON TOP

2️⃣ Will Grant ⬇️ 6-7 (6), 5-6
✅ #51 Nate Bonetto, 6-4, 7-6 (6)
4️⃣ #93 Jonah Braswell ⬆️ 7-6 (8), 4-3

UF 3, FSU 2#GoGators 🐊🎾 pic.twitter.com/BEhAOsiBKG

— Gators Men's Tennis (@GatorsMTN) February 3, 2023

Needing just one more win to clinch the match, the Gators turned to their standout freshman. No. 93 Jonah Braswell rallied back after down 6-3 in the first set tiebreak to take the set tiebreak 10-8. Braswell won four consecutive games in the second set to clinch the match for the Gators. Braswell won 7-6 (8), 6-3.

THE FINISHER FROM JONAH B

2️⃣ Will Grant ⬇️ 6-7 (6), 6-6 (UNF)
✅ #93 Jonah Braswell ⬆️ 7-6 (8), 6-3

UF 4, FSU 2#GoGators 🐊🎾 pic.twitter.com/jyYNL6yKRr

— Gators Men's Tennis (@GatorsMTN) February 3, 2023

Next for Gators Men’s Tennis

The Gators will be back at the USTA national campus this weekend to take on No. 7 USC and No. 16 Stanford in the SEC/Pac-12 challenge.