UK Men's Tennis Team Captures SEC Tournament Title
By Greg Welsh
UK Athletics
AUBURN, Ala. – No. 5 Kentucky men’s tennis (24-4) claimed the program’s second-ever SEC Tournament title, emerging on top in a 4-3 classic against No. 4 Georgia (20-6) on Sunday evening at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
With the match tied 3-3, all eyes were on court five where Kentucky freshman Jaden Weekes played beyond his years, winning a third-set tiebreaker to clinch the program’s first SEC Tournament title since 1992.
“What a win for our program,” head coach Cedric Kauffmann said. “We had to battle through tough competition all weekend long, facing match points down against Tennessee and today. It is an unbelievable accomplishment. This was our third final with this group, having played the SEC Tournament Final and NCAA Tournament final last year. They [the team] wanted it really bad. All the players and staff contributed to this win. I am proud of everybody on this team one through twelve. If I had to say anything else, I would say Matt Gordon is the best coach in the country. He has changed our program. Credit goes to him.”
Joshua Lapadat earned the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award after going a perfect 5-0 on the week between singles and doubles. Weekes was also named to the All-Tournament Team for his title-sealing result in the Championship match.
Kentucky improves to 9-1 this season in matches ending with a score of 4-3. The Wildcats are also now 2-1 on the season against top-five ITA opponents.
