Mens Tennis Reporter Ethan Feinberg is a senior sports journalism student in his second semester at The Alligator. He is currently the Summer 2026 men’s tennis reporter. Ethan enjoys watching and playing sports like football and basketball, working out, fishing, cooking, and having a good laugh with his friends and family. His favorite sports teams are the New England Patriots, Miami Heat, Florida Panthers, and the Miami Marlins. (Drake "Drake Maye" Maye is the GOAT.)
Florida logged a 37-18 (18-12 SEC) record through a daunting 55-game schedule as it won the season’s final three conference series against Oklahoma, Kentucky and Louisiana State. Overall, the 2026 regular season was filled with dominant victories, frustrating inconsistencies and standout performances, leaving looming questions about what's next.
UF remained a consistent top-25 program throughout the season, posted a winning record and amassed numerous top-100 players. Concluding 2026 with a 17-14 overall record and 6-8 in the Southeastern Conference, Florida’s season was defined by competitive play, SEC struggles and dominant victories.
Though Ganesan pushed on early and attempted to avenge UF’s early-season – and last season’s second-round NCAA Tournament loss – to No. 15 UCF (22-6, 5-3 Big 12), No. 19 Florida (17-14, 6-8 SEC) fell flat in its final game of the 2025-26 season, 4-3, in Lake Nona, Florida.
Entering its 35th NCAA Tournament appearance, No. 19 Florida (17-13, 6-8 SEC) dominated Stetson University (14-7, 1-2 ASUN) 5-0 in the first round as the Gators swept all courts in Orlando.
Tennis, a sport often called the “sport of kings” due to its origins among nobility, is known for its quiet, calm environment. Players often let the slams of their rackets and squeaks of their shoes do the talking.
No. 5 Florida (13-2, 4-0 Big 12) topped Cincinnati (8-8, 0-4 Big 12) 16-5 in Cincinnati, Ohio, to clinch its second straight Big 12 regular-season title.
But those hopes were cut short as No. 1 Texas (22-6, 12-2 SEC) delivered a powerful singles portion, taking down No. 19 Florida (16-13, 6-8 SEC) 4-2 on Friday at the Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas.
Eighteen matches ago, Florida started its Southeastern Conference play against Auburn and quickly fell in doubles play. That same momentum carried over into singles action, leading to a 6-1 UF defeat.
After Avery Oyenarte scored a goal during a recent lacrosse game, she credited an unusual source of advice.
Despite starting the match off strong by keeping the doubles match competitive, Florida (14-12, 5-8 SEC) succumbed to the pressure and fell 4-1 to Texas (21-6, 12-2 SEC) on Friday in Austin, Texas.
Solutions by The State News
