The Hurricanes stayed hot at home this week, beating No. 21 UCF 4-2 Friday afternoon at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. Miami now moves to 4-2 on the season, while the Knights took their first loss of the year, making their record 8-1.
UCF was the first to draw blood in the match, taking the doubles point after a couple of hard-fought games. Nacho Serra Sanchez and Leonardo Dal Boni fell 6-2 to UCF’s Mehdi Benchakroun and Santiago Giamichelle.
Then, Medhi Sadaoui and Jules Garot fell 6-4 to Yassine Dlimi and Emilio Sanchez to secure the point for the Knights. This meant Martin Katz and Antonio Prat’s game went unfinished despite being up 4-3 against Liam Branger and Paul Colin.
The Knights initially kept momentum going into singles play, taking a 2-0 lead courtesy of Giamichelle beating Dal Boni 7-6 (2), 6-3.
But from that point on, it was all Miami.
Serra Sanchez turned the tide with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Dlimi to give the ’Canes their first point, and Prat defeated Benchakroun 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-0 to tie the match up. Katz battled hard to give UM the lead with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Colin. The comeback was completed after Sadaoui fought back against Branger to win 1-6, 6-3, 7-5, clinching the match 4-2.
This was the highest-ranked win for the ’Canes since 2022 and demonstrates the positive trajectory the group is on. Undefeated at home and on a two-match win streak, Miami will face Florida Gulf Coast in two weeks at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center on Feb. 21.
Singles Results
1. No. 67 Martin Katz (UM) def. Paul Colin (UCF) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
2. Antonio Prat (UM) def. Mehdi Benchakroun (UCF) 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-0
3. Nacho Serra Sanchez (UM) def. Yassine Dlimi (UCF) 7-5, 6-4
4. Santiago Giamichelle (UCF) def. Leonardo Del Boni (UM) 7-6(2), 6-3
5. Mehdi Sadaoui (UM) def. Liam Branger (UCF) 1-6, 6-3, 7-5
6. Emilio Sanchez (UCF) vs. Jules Garot (UM) 6-3, 6-7(1), 4-3, unfinished
Doubles Results
1. Liam Branger/Paul Colin (UCF) vs. No. 82 Martin Katz/Antonio Prat (UM) 4-3, unfinished
2. Mehdi Benchakroun/Santiago Giamichelle (UCF) def. Nacho Serra Sanchez/Leonardo Del Boni (UM) 6-2
3. Yassine Dlimi/Emilio Sanchez (UCF) def. Mehdi Sadaoui/Jules Garot (UM) 6-3