‘Unbelievable accomplishment.’ Kentucky men’s tennis wins first SEC tourney in 31 years.

The University of Kentucky men’s tennis team has scored significant team and individual successes in the NCAA Tournament through the years so it was easy to forget how elusive its own conference championship had become.

The Wildcats rectified that deficiency Sunday when they unleashed a startling last-minute rally to defeat top-seed Georgia 4-3 and win Kentucky’s first Southeastern Conference Tournament championship since 1992 and only its second ever.

“What a win for our program,” Kentucky head coach Cedric Kauffmann said. “We had to battle through tough competition all weekend long, facing match points down against Tennessee and today. It is an unbelievable accomplishment.”

Kentucky, the No. 3 seed in the tournament played at Auburn, Ala., launched its postseason uprising by defeating No. 11 seed Alabama 4-0 in Friday morning’s quarterfinals. On Saturday, the Wildcats took down No. 2 Tennessee 4-3.

That set the stage for Sunday’s finals against No. 1 seed Georgia, which had beaten No. 8 Florida and No. 5 Texas A&M to get to the championship match.

“This was our third final with this group, having played the SEC Tournament final and NCAA Tournament final last year,” Kauffmann said. “They wanted it really bad. All the players and staff contributed to this win. I am proud of everybody on this team one through 12. If I had to say anything else, I would say Matt Gordon is the best coach in the country. He has changed our program. Credit goes to him.”

Gordon is in his fifth season as an assistant coach at UK and was named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Ohio Valley Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021, a title once secured by Kauffmann himself in 2009.

Sunday’s clincher came from a UK freshman, and made the Wildcats the first SEC team to beat Georgia (20-6 overall, 12-0 SEC in the regular season) this year.

Georgia won the doubles point Sunday then added to its lead with victories in two singles matches to go in front 3-1.

Kentucky’s Alafia Ayeni then rallied from a set down to defeat Georgia’s Philip Henning 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. However, the Wildcats remained on the brink of defeat with the Bulldogs serving for the championship on the two remaining active courts simultaneously.

Kentucky’s Taha Baadi broke serve against Blake Croyder, took his match’s final three games and won 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7).

With the team score now tied 3-3, all eyes turned to Court 5, where Kentucky freshman Jaden Weekes battled Georgia’s Miguel Perez Pena in another match that came down to a tiebreaker.

Weekes, from Montreal, Canada, saved two match points then won the tiebreaker to secure a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7) victory and the SEC championship for the Wildcats.

“It’s amazing to play with these guys, to play for these guys,” Weekes said. “To clinch the SEC title, I don’t even believe it.”

Kentucky, which finished the regular season 24-4 overall and 9-3 in the SEC, now awaits its seeding in the NCAA Tournament. The 64-team field will be announced May 1 at 6:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.

The Wildcats were ranked No. 5 in the nation in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, behind No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Texas Christian and No. 4 Georgia.

Last year, as the No. 8 overall seed in the NCAA tourney, Kentucky advanced to the championship match where it was defeated by Virginia.

SEC Tournament results

(Teams listed with SEC Tournament seedings)

Wednesday

No. 12 Vanderbilt 4, No. 13 Arkansas 1

Thursday

No. 11 Alabama 4, No. 6 Mississippi State 3

No. 7 Ole Miss 4, No. 10 LSU 3

No. 8 Florida 4, No. 9 Auburn 1

No. 5 Texas A&M 4, No. 12 Vanderbilt 3

Friday

No. 3 Kentucky 4, No. 11 Alabama 0

No. 2 Tennessee 4, No. 7 Ole Miss 0

No. 1 Georgia 4, No. 8 Florida 0

No. 5 Texas A&M 4, No. 4 South Carolina 2

Saturday

No. 3 Kentucky 4, No. 2 Tennessee 3

No. 1 Georgia 4, No. 5 Texas A&M 0

Sunday

No. 3 Kentucky 4, No. 1 Georgia 3

SUNDAY’S SCORES

(Players listed with ITA individual rankings)

Doubles:

No. 7 Ethan Quinn/Trent Bryde (Georgia) def. No. 23 Alafia Ayeni/Taha Baadi (Kentucky): 6-4

No. 67 Joshua Lapadat/JJ Mercer (Kentucky) def. Teodor Giusca/Philip Henning (Georgia): 5-6 (unfinished)

Blake Croyder/Britton Johnston (Georgia) def. Liam Draxl/Jaden Weekes (Kentucky): 6-3

Singles:

No. 4 Ethan Quinn (Georgia) def. No. 19 Liam Draxl (Kentucky): 7-5, 6-2

No. 25 Alafia Ayeni (Kentucky) def. No. 15 Philip Henning (Georgia): 1-6, 6-3, 6-3

No. 56 Joshua Lapadat (Kentucky) def. No. 119 Trent Bryde (Georgia): 6-2, 6-4

Taha Baadi (Kentucky) def. No. 101 Blake Croyder (Georgia): 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7)

Jaden Weekes (Kentucky) def. Miguel Perez Pena (Georgia): 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7)

Teodor Giusca (Georgia) def. Charlelie Cosnet (Kentucky): 6-4, 6-3