The Red and Black

Georgia's third-ranked men's tennis team took noticeable strides toward securing a favorable seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament it will host after outlasting No. 5 Texas 4-3 Saturday night in Athens.

The Bulldogs moved their record to 21-3 after flirting with trouble early against the Longhorns.

Georgia dropped the doubles point to open the match before being saved by a collective effort of phenomenal singles play, the most eye-bulging of which came on court six where freshman Sharif Zaher clinched Georgia's win after a come-from-behind victory over Texas' Stephen Patak.

Zaher reversed a first set defeat and blasted Patak in the final two sets, winning 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 and allowing Georgia's John Roddick to retire from his match with a sore back.

But it's the remainder of Georgia's singles play that allowed Zaher to be the hero.

Junior Hisham Hemeda was bumped up to the No. 2 singles spot and responded by pasting Texas' Jack Brasington 6-4, 6-3. Hemeda moved to 22-1 on the season and 5-0 in the No. 2 slot.

"I had been playing well all week (in practice) so I knew moving up to No. 2 I just had to come in here with all the confidence in the world and it worked for me," Hemeda said.

Senior Steven Baldas was dropped to the No. 3 position and responded by drubbing Longhorn junior Gwenael Guiet 6-4, 6-0.

"I don't care if I'm playing No. 6 singles or just doubles as long as I can contribute to the team," said Baldas, who played only his second match of the season at the No. 3 position.

Talito Corrales had little difficulty at No. 4 as the junior rocked Texas' B.J. Stearnms 6-2, 6-4.

With the victory, Georgia virtually secured the nation's third seed for the NCAA Tournament beginning May 23 in Athens.

If Georgia holds onto the No. 3 seed with victories in its final two matches (the first, May 5 at No. 55 Clemson and the second, May 11 vs. No. 44 North Carolina) it would mean that the Bulldogs would avoid meeting No.1 Stanford until the NCAA finals.

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