No. 9 Men's Tennis Set For In-State Clash Against Miami

ORLANDO – The No. 9 UCF men’s tennis team returns home just five days after their last outing at USTA National Campus to take on yet another in-state foe in the Miami Hurricanes on Friday, February 6^th.

First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. as the Knights will return to the collegiate courts following a move indoors due to cold temperatures last Sunday.

LAST TIME OUT

The Knights secured their third straight victory over their in‑state opponent, Florida last Sunday at the USTA National Campus. The Knights set the tone early by securing a tense doubles point, highlighted by seniors Yassine Dlimi and Paul Colin clinching a dramatic 7(9)-6(7) tiebreak on the top court. That momentum carried into singles, where Dlimi quickly delivered a straight‑set win on court one to remain undefeated this season.

Florida battled back with wins on courts two and three, but UCF’s depth proved decisive. Wissam Abderrahman mounted a three‑set comeback to reclaim the lead, and Nicolas Oliveira sealed the match with a composed 6‑7, 6‑3, 6‑4 victory. Clement Lemire’s match went unfinished in a third‑set tiebreak as the Knights locked up the team result.

QUICK HITS

• PROGRAM BEST IN THE RANKS: The Knights sustained their ranking of No. 9 in the latest ITA rankings, continuing to match the highest mark in program history and achieving the top ranking of the Bruce-Burgess era. The Knights’ return to the top 10 is their first since 2021, when they also reached No. 9 during on April 7 and between April 28-May 9.
• SINGLES EXCELLENCE: Beyond the team success, UCF also made a statement in the first singles rankings of the dual‑match season, placing two Knights among the nation’s top performers. Senior Yassine Dlimi opened the spring slate at No. 64, while right behind him, newcomer Wissam Abderrahman earned a singles ranking at No. 108, breaking into the top 125 after a string of impressive early‑season results. Both Knights strengthened their resumes with key wins over Florida opponents this past weekend.
• DOUBLES DUBS: Rolling out the same doubles tandems in every match this season, the Knights have developed one of the most reliable doubles units, dropping the point just once all year so far. That consistency showed again over the weekend, as the pairings delivered another strong outing, particularly on the top two courts. After a split on courts two and three, the decisive point came down to the veteran duo of Paul Colin and Yassine Dlimi, who once again rose to the moment. The seniors battled through a tense tiebreak to clinch the doubles point, setting the tone for the rest of the match.

 

ABOUT THE HURRICANES

The Hurricanes are led by head coach Alex Santos, now in his second season with the men’s team after spending three years helping guide Miami’s women’s program. Last year, the Canes put together a strong 13-11 campaign, winning every home match and collecting nine road victories along with two neutral site wins. Miami’s roster is anchored by veteran talent, including senior Nacho Serra Sanchez, who posted an impressive 21-9 singles record, and senior Antonio Prat, who closed the season ranked No. 19 in singles and No. 5 in doubles in the ITA Southeast Region.

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.