Match Details
No. 48 (3) Central Florida 4, No. 57 (6) South Florida 3
South Florida (12-13), Central Florida (11-11)
Friday, April 21, 2023 | Noon
Lake Nona, Fla. | USTA National Campus
 
Lake Nona, Fla. (April 21, 2023) – For the second time since April 7, the No. 57-ranked and sixth-seeded University of South Florida men's tennis team battled its rival, No. 48 Central Florida to the limit, and like the last meeting in Tampa, the Bulls fell to the Knights, 4-3, with today's contest taking place in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, Fla.
 
South Florida closes the season 12-13 on the year while the Knights improve to 11-11.
 
The Bulls fought through the doubles portion of the dual, however, third-seeded Central Florida pulled out the point in the end. Erik Grevelius and Alvin Tudorica trailed on court one, 4-1, but got a couple points back before falling 6-3. Thomas Pavlekovich-Smith and Samuel Frizelle were in a back-and-forth contest before the Knights closed out court three, 6-4.
 
Davide Tortora and Bruno Oliveira were tied at five-all on court two when Central Florida took the 1-0 lead.  
 
South Florida wasted no time leveling the dual up at one-all when Tudorica won his team-best 13^th singles match of the season with a 6-4, 6-1 victory on court two. The win was just Tudorica's fourth of the year on court two.
 
Oliveira then followed that up soon after with a straight-forward 6-2, 6-2 win – his 11^th of the season – on court four to put the Bulls up 2-1.
 
After the Knights took court five, 6-1, 7-5 to even to dual again, Mother Nature made her presence felt with a lengthy rain and lightning delay. When play resumed, Central Florida closed out court one with a 6-4, 7-5 win to pull to within one point of advancing to the semifinals.
 
Pavlekovich-Smith had something to say about that as he toughed out a hard-fought straight-set win on court six in a second-set tiebreaker. After winning the first set, 7-5, Pavlekovich-Smith found himself up 5-2 in the second, however, had to hold on and close out his opponent, 7-6 (7-4) putting the balance of the dual on court three and Grevelius.
 
Grevelius posted a swift 6-0 win in the first set only to drop the second and third sets 6-4 and 6-4.
 
Doubles
1. #26 Lleyton Cronje/Bogdan Pavel (UCF) def. #87 Erik Grevelius/Alvin Tudorica (USF), 6-3
2. Yassine Dlimi/Francisco Llanes (UCF) vs. Bruno Oliveira/Davide (USF), 5-5 Unfinished
3. Paul Colin/Cooper White (UCF) def. Samuel Frizelle/Thomas Pavlekovich-Smith (USF), 6-4
 
Singles
1. #85 Bogdan Pavel (UCF) def. Davide Tortora (USF), 6-4, 7-5
2. Alvin Tudorica (USF) def. Lleyton Cronje (UCF), 6-4, 6-1
3. Yassine Dlimi (UCF) def. Erik Grevelius (USF), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4
4. Bruno Oliveira (USF) def. #112 Liam Branger (UCF), 6-2, 6-2
5. Mehdi Benchakroun (UCF) def. Elijah Cham (USF), 6-1, 7-5
6. Thomas Pavlekovich-Smith (USF) def. Francisco Llanes (UCF), 7-5, 7-6 (7-4)
 
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,4,1,6,5,3)
 
About Men's Tennis
Be sure to follow USF men's tennis on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.?Head coach?Ashley Fisher?is in his seventh year at the helm of the program for the 2022-23 season.