Bolo Bash trumps studying for high school exam

A future Florida Gator got the best of a former Arkansas Razorback on Friday.

Sam Riffice, who has signed a national letter of intent to play tennis at Florida, defeated Michael Redlicki 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the USTA Pro Futures Bolo Bash tournament at Rebsamen Tennis Center in Little Rock.

Redlicki, 24, played two seasons at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (20152016 and 2016-2017). On Friday, Riffice, 19, was too much for him.

The first set was tied at 3-3, but Riffice earned three of the match’s final four games to earn a 6-4 victory.

Redlicki led 2-1 in the second set. Riffice scored the next three games to take a 4-2 lead. Redlicki pulled within 5-4, but Riffice closed the match out with a backhand shot that sailed past Redlicki’s left shoulder.

“I thought my forehand was really on today,” Riffice said. “I was able to dictate the points. I was moving around and finishing a lot of points.”

Riffice will play Karue Sell of Brazil in a semifinal match today. Sell upset No. 1 seed Kaichi Uchida of Japan 6-3, 6-0 in a quarterfinal match.

In the other completed quarterfinal match, Harrison Adams defeated Collin Altamirano 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The final quarterfinal match Friday between No. 5 seed Nicolaas Scholtz of South Africa and Henry Craig will be completed at 10 a.m. today, with Riffice-Sell to follow. Scholtz had a 6-5 lead

in the third set when rain fell at Rebsamen Tennis Center, forcing officials to postpone the finish until today.

Also, the doubles final between Craig and Miles Seemann vs. Altamirano and Vasil Kirkov was postponed to today. A time for that match was not determined as of Friday.

Ranked No. 747 in this week’s ATP World Tour rankings, Riffice also defeated Samuel Shropshire 6-2, 6-0 in the round of 32 and No. 8 seed Samuel Monette 6-2, 6-3 in the round of 16 to reach Friday’s quarterfinals.

Last year, Riffice advanced to the round of 16 at the U.S. Open junior championships in New York and the round of 32 at the French Open and Wimbledon junior championships, respectively.

The Bolo Bash is Riffice’s sixth tournament this year.

“This is the best result I’ve had so far,” Riffice said. “I feel like each tournament I’ve improved a little bit. A lot of things are coming together.”

Riffice is originally from Roseville, Calif., outside of Sacramento, but moved to Orlando, Fla., when he was 14 to attend the USTA Tennis Academy. He takes online classes from the Florida Virtual School, an online school.

Riffice has his final exam for economics next week.

“Hopefully, I’ll pass my final exam,” said Riffice, who is scheduled to graduate in May. “I’m focused on tennis a little bit more than school right now. When I’m done, I’ll try to cram some studying in.”

When Riffice made his official visit to Florida in the fall, he attended the Gators’ football game against LSU at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

“It was an amazing atmosphere,” Riffice said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Riffice won’t be playing in front of 88,247 fans — the attendance of the 2017 LSU-Florida game — today at Rebsamen Tennis Center. However, he is one match away from his first singles final on the Futures tour this year.

“My game is feeling great,” Riffice said. “I feel great right now. I know Karue is a special player. So I’ll have to bring some extra to beat him. It should be a good match.”