TAMPA - Despite starting a little slow in doubles competition, the University of South Florida men's tennis team led by senior Mahmoud and junior Thomas Estrada stormed back in singles competition to claim a decisive, 4-1, victory over visiting Radford on Tuesday afternoon at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
With temperatures pushing into the high 80's, the Bulls put themselves into a situation in which they had to climb their way out of an early 1-0 deficit. USF dropped two of the three doubles matches. Estrada and Hamed teamed up to take care of Ivan Salec and Mehdi Benhammou, 8-4, for the Bulls only win in among three doubles matches.
Bulls head coach Don Barr had to switch around his line up as Estrada's usual partner, sophomore Lucas Jovita, sat out today with an injury. However, Estrada and Hamed are no stranger to each other as the two have played over 25 doubles matches together in their USF careers.
It was apparent early that USF's struggles in doubles competition would not carry over into the singles competition as the Bulls came out firing on all cylinders.
Estrada, playing in the No. 6 slot, would even the score quickly at 1-1 as he disposed of Zack Watson, 6-4, 6-1. Hamed would take care of Ivan Selec in the No. 2 position,6-4,6-4 to give the Bulls a lead and then the Bulls never looked back in making remarkably quick work of Radford.
Sophomore Jamal Adderley would push the lead to 3-1 with a straight-set victory over Stefan Bojic, 6-1, 6-4. Adderley jumped up to play in the No. 3 singles for the Bulls.
With Jovita out, freshman Wael Kilani moved into the No. 1 singles position for the first time in his collegiate career. Kilani would not disappoint. The No. 93 singles player in the country made quick work of No. 115 Martin Sayer, who recently competed in the Davis Cup for Hong Kong. Kilani took control early and registered a 7-5, 6-3 victory.
With the win in hand, the match was ended with two other remaining matches incomplete. In the No. 2 position sophomore Romain Deridder was up a set and tied at 2-2 in the second. While Mark Oljaca split his first two sets and was about to begin the third,
USF, now 6-4 on the season, will not have much time to relax as they begin a stretch of three matches in four days. The Bulls will begin BIG EAST play at home against St. John's on Thursday, March 12 at 2 p.m.. The following day the Bulls will take on in-state foe Miami at Noon. The Bulls will then complete their homestand with FAU this Sunday at Noon.
All of three matches will be held at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
USF 4, Radford 1
March 10, 2008
USF Varsity Tennis Courts-Tampa, Fla.
Doubles
1. Sayer/Watson (RU) def. Romain Deridder/Wael Kilani(USF) - 8-3
2. Thomas Estrada/Mahmoud Hamed (USF) def. Salec/Behnammou- 8-4
3. Ogrizek/Bojic def. Adderley/Derakhshani (USF) 8-4
Finish Order- 1,2,3
Singles
1. No. 92 Wael Kilani(USF) def. Martin Sayer- 7-5, 6-3
2. Mahmoud Hamed (USF) def. Ivan Salec-6-4,6-4
3. Jamal Adderley (USF) def. Stefan Bojic- 6-1, 6-4
4. Romain Deridder (USF) vs. Mehdi Benhammou- 7-5, 2-2 unf.
5. Mark Oljaca (USF) vs. Igor Ogrizek- 1-6, 6-5
6. Thomas Estrada (USF) def. Zack Watson - 6-4, 6-1
Finish Order- 6, 2, 3, 4
