Cardinals Defeat Miami 4-1 in the First Round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend

Sunday, January 29

Athens, GA

11:00 AM

University of Louisville

Miami

Cardinals Defeat Miami 4-1 in the First Round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend

January 29, 2023 | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Cards earn fifth-straight win to start the season

By: Lori Harmon

ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Louisville men's tennis team defeated Miami 4-1 in the first round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend Sunday afternoon at Georgia's Dan Magill Tennis Complex.

The Cardinals (5-0) advance to the second round to face host No. 15 Georgia on Monday at 2:30 p.m. The winner of that match will earn a bid to the 2023 ITA National Men's Indoor Championship which will take place Feb. 17-20 at the University of Illinois.

Louisville opened the match with doubles wins on courts one and three to take an early 1-0 lead. At the three-spot, Etienne Donnet and Sergio Hernandez teamed to beat Leonard Bierbaum and Dan Martin 6-2 to give their team the early advantage and the ninth-ranked duo of Natan Rodrigues and Fabien Salle followed with a 6-3 win over Franco Aubone and Martin Puerto to clinch the point at No. 1.

In singles action, Matthew Fung quickly added to the lead with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Puerto at the four-spot.

Miami (2-1) answered on court one where Martin, No. 72 in the ITA singles rankings, beat No. 25 Natan Rodrigues 6-3, 6-4 to put the Hurricanes on the scoreboard.

Louisville countered at the three-spot when No. 42 Donnet's overcame a 6-2 first-set loss Antonio Pratt and prevailed 6-2, 6-0 in the next two sets to push the Cardinals' lead to 3-1.

On court five, Hernandez outlasted Aubone 7-6 (4), 6-4 to clinch Louisville's fifth-straight victory.

"I am very proud of the guys," said UofL head coach Rodrigo da Silva. "The conditions were tough, but they competed and fought for the opportunity to advance to the second round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend."

Louisville 4, Miami 1
Jan 29, 2023 at Athens, Ga.
(Dan Magill Tennis Complex)
Singles
1. #72 Dan Martin (MIA) def. #25 Natan Rodrigues (LOU) 6-3, 6-4
2. #36 Fabien Salle (LOU) vs. Martin Katz (MIA) 6-3, 5-6, unfinished
3. #42 Etienne Donnet (LOU) def. Antonio Prat (MIA) 2-6, 6-2, 6-0
4. #61 Matthew Fung (LOU) def. Martin V. D. Puerto (MIA) 6-1, 6-2
5. Sergio Hernandez (LOU) def. Franco Aubone (MIA) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
6. David Mizrahi (LOU) vs. Nacho Serra Sanchez (MIA) 6-4, 5-6, unfinished
Order of finish: Singles (4,1,3,5)
Doubles
1. #9 Natan Rodrigues/Fabien Salle (LOU) def. Franco Aubone/Martin V. D. Puerto (MIA) 6-3
2. Matthew Fung/David Mizrahi (LOU) vs. Martin Katz/Antonio Prat (MIA) 4-5, unfinished
3. Etienne Donnet/Sergio Hernandez (LOU) def. Leonard Bierbaum/Dan Martin (MIA) 6-2
Match Notes:
Miami 2-0
Louisville 4-0
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1)