The South Florida Bulls Men's Tennis team went toe-to-toe with No. 9 UCF Knights men's tennis Wednesday night, falling just short in a 4-3 thriller at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts. In what was the highest-attended home match of the season, the Bulls fed off an electric atmosphere under the lights on the new courts.

Doubles was tightly contested from the start. On court two, Toto Llanes and James Newton fell 2-6, battling through long rallies and tight deuce points. Max Mroz and Timeo Gaillard dropped a competitive 4-6 decision on court three, keeping pressure on throughout the set. The first-line doubles match was left unfinished, with Hugo Car and Ettore Danesi in a strong place to follow through and win. Although the doubles point ultimately went to UCF, the fight and energy from the Bulls' pairs set the tone for the night.

In singles, Ettore Danesi fell 0-6, 3-6 on court four, and Stepan Mruzek dropped a 1-6, 4-6 match on court three despite continuing to compete through every game. His comeback in the second set lit up the crowd, giving the Bulls home-court energy to feed off of. 

Toto Llanes came up short on court six, falling 6-4, 6-3 as UCF clinched the win. Llanes stayed aggressive from the baseline and continued to challenge late in both sets, forcing extended rallies and competing through the final point.

The rest of the matches continued to play out. Elijah Cham delivered one of the biggest moments of the night on court two. Calm, aggressive, and in control from the baseline, Cham secured a dominant 6-3, 6-3 victory to shift the energy of the entire facility. His performance was a statement win and a major momentum swing for the Bulls.

Agustin Cuellar followed with a gritty comeback on court five. After taking the first set 6-3 and dropping the second 6-2, Cuellar locked in during the decisive match tiebreak, closing it out 10-5 to earn a crucial point and keep USF within reach.

Hugo Car battled on court one in a high-level showdown that featured two tiebreak sets. Car claimed the opening set 7-6 (10-8) before ultimately falling 6-5 in the second-set tiebreak as UCF secured the clinching point. With the crowd fully engaged, Car fought until the final ball in one of the night's most competitive matches.

With momentum building and confidence growing, the Bulls now turn their focus to a challenging road swing in Oklahoma. USF will travel to face Oklahoma State Cowboys men's tennis on Friday before closing the weekend against Tulsa Golden Hurricane men's tennis, looking to carry the same intensity and fight into two key matchups away from home.

About USF 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 ninth year at the helm of the program for the 2025-26 season. Fischer has guided the Bulls to four NCAA Tournaments, including three trips to the second round. He was named the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2017 & 2019 after leading USF to the conference title in each of those seasons.

– #Go Bulls –