A shot sails past the baseline. A backhand slams into the net. A second serve lands just out for a double fault.
The slow clap that signifies a match point started to grow into applause as Joanna Mather toed the baseline.
The home-court advantage that has been so well publicized for the Gators was close to non-existent Friday evening. A team that is conditioned for warm, muggy weather had to play a home match in chilly, windy weather at Linder Stadium.
Even as one of the top teams in the country with some of the top players, No. 2 Florida still sees room for improvement. That’s been the attitude all year for the Gators (15-1, 8-0 Southeastern Conference), but at this point late in the season, getting better isn’t so easy.
The Gators have won 10 consecutive matches, proving worthy of their No. 2 ranking over the last six weeks. Florida (15-1, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) has appeared crisp, composed and confident.
Bob van Overbeek watched as his opponent’s shot slowly bounced in front of him. The junior set his feet, brought his racket back and blasted a thunderous forehand past his helpless opponent.
Surely, the Gators are glad to be done with the month of March. The No. 11 men (11-7, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) had a month full of close matches, many resulting in defeat.
In the minutes after Sunday’s win against Mississippi, Allie Will walked into the conference room of the Ring Tennis Complex to field questions from the media.
Around this time last year, Florida made a lineup shift in doubles play.
Caroline Hitimana’s run of perfection ended Sunday, but her undefeated singles record remained intact.
As counter-intuitive as it may sound, success and failure for the Gators begins at the bottom.
Five matches had passed in the 2012 season, and the Gators were undefeated. They had dropped only two out of 35 possible points and looked poised to make a run at another national title.
One point can be the difference in collegiate tennis.
To be the best, you have to beat the best. Bob van Overbeek hasn’t quite done that yet.
In the midst of a Southeastern Conference slate described as “brutal” by coaches and players, Florida will take a trip west for an nonconference match tonight.
Sofie Oyen trudged off the court and tossed her racket on the ground in disgust. Frustration had gotten the better of the sophomore, and she trailed her match 6-2.
As if the No. 2 Gators needed a bigger target on their back, their historic home winning streak has created one.
Undefeated in four matches of Southeastern Conference play, UF’s second-ranked women’s tennis team could say that its hot start is due to a team-wide effort.
The Gators have come close in their first two matches against Top-10 Southeastern Conference foes, but they have come up both times.
The Gators have hit the century mark.
Solutions by The State News
