URBANA, IL — Kentucky's Gabriel Diallo advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tennis Singles Tournament with a three set win against Ohio State's Matej Vocel. He had already beaten his opponent last week during the team competition to help Kentucky reach the National Championship match.
Diallo got a break in the first set and closed it out to win 6-4. The second set was tight and Vocel won the final three games to take the second set 6-4. Then, the UK junior from Montreal got a late break of serve to take a 6-5 lead and served it out to win the match, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
Diallo is now 38-7 overall this year, shattering his previous year’s win total of 19. He now holds 65 wins in singles in his collegiate career.
He will now take on Tennessee’s No. 3 Adam Walton on Thursday. When the Wildcats and Volunteers played during the regular season, Walton defeated Liam Draxl in three sets at the Hilary J. Boone Complex, but UK secured the team win. UT’s graduate student and its choice for the top spot in team play has won all three of his tournament matches in straight sets.
