Hogs Fall To No. 26 Kentucky In SEC Tournament First Round

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 36 Arkansas men’s tennis team (16-14) earned the doubles point but fell 4-2 to No. 26 Kentucky (17-12) in the first round of the SEC Tournament Wednesday afternoon at Mitchell Tennis Center.

In doubles play, the Razorbacks picked up wins on courts two and three to secure the early 1-0 lead. Brendan Boland and Dmitry Kopilevich earned a 6-3 victory over Jaden Weekes and Martin Breysach, while Connor Smillie and Lukas Palovic followed with a 6-2 win against No. 90 Matt Rankin and Nicolas Arseneault to clinch the point. The match on court one between No. 30 Eric Padgham and Ben Weintraub and No. 17 Eli Stephenson and Jack Loutit went unfinished.

Kentucky responded in singles, earning four victories to take the match. No. 21 Eli Stephenson defeated Lukas Palovic in three sets on court one, while No. 54 Nicolas Arseneault topped Ben Weintraub 2-6, 6-2, 6-1. Jaden Weekes added a straight-set win over Gabriel Elicha Navas to give the Wildcats control.

Brendan Boland picked up Arkansas’ lone singles point with a 7-5, 6-3 victory against Matt Rankin on court six. No. 82 Jack Loutit secured another point for Kentucky with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Arsène Pougault before the Wildcats clinched the match. Dmitry Kopilevich’s match against No. 114 Charlelie Cosnet went unfinished.

The Razorbacks now await postseason selection as they look ahead to the NCAA Tournament.

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