As a freshman playing sixth court singles in college tennis is impressive in itself, but helping the team win the SEC Tournament is an even bigger honor.
Very rarely does a freshman clinch an SEC Championship, and it’s even rarer for that player to be from the team’s home state. Recent St. X alumnus Eli Stephenson, a two-time KHSAA singles champion, began the first set trailing 2-5 against South Carolina senior Carter Morgan. However, this deficit didn’t deter the star freshman; he fought back and brought the set to 6-6.
A tiebreak would determine this intense first set, which Stephenson would win 7-4. As the second set began, the pressure mounted with Kentucky leading 3-2. They needed four points in total to secure the championship. The second set belonged entirely to Stephenson, as he won 6-3, securing Kentucky’s fourth point and clinching the SEC Championship.
Kentucky now looks to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The selection show is set for Monday, April 29.
